Take Your Keys. Nearly 20 percent of all vehicles stolen have
the keys in them.
Lock
Your Car. Approximately 50 percent of all vehicles
stolen were left unlocked.
Never Hide a Second Set of Keys in Your Car. Extra keys can
be easily found if a thief takes time to look. |
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Park in Well-lighted Areas. Over half of all vehicle thefts occur
at night.
Park in Attended Lots. Auto thieves do not like
witnesses and prefer unattended parking lots.
If You Park in an Attended Lot, Leave Only the Ignition/Door
Key. If your trunk and glove box use the same key as the
door, have one of them changed. Don't give the attendant easy access
to your glove box and trunk. Upon returning, check the tires, spare
tire, and battery to be sure they are the same as those you had
when you parked.
Never Leave Your Car Running, Even if You'll Only be Gone For a
Minute. Vehicles are commonly stolen at convenience stores, gas
stations, ATMs, etc. Many vehicles are also stolen on cold mornings
when the owner leaves the vehicle running to warm up.
Completely Close Car Windows When Parking. Don't
make it any easier for the thief to enter your vehicle.
Don't Leave Valuables in Plain View. Don't make your car a more
desirable target and attract thieves by leaving valuables in plain
sight.
Park With Your Wheels Turned Toward the Curb. Make
your car tough to tow away. Wheels should also be turned to the
side in driveways and parking lots.
If Your Vehicle is Rear-Wheel Drive, Back into
Your Driveway. Rear wheels lock on fourwheel drive vehicles, making
them difficult to tow. Front-wheel drive vehicles should be parked
front end first.
Always Use Your Emergency Brake When Parking. In
addition to ensuring safety, using the emergency brake makes your
car harder to tow.
If You Have a Garage, Use It. If you have a garage, take the time
to use it rather than parking outside where your vehicle is more
vulnerable.
When parking in a Garage, Lock the Garage Door and Your Vehicle.
By locking both the garage and vehicle doors, the chances of deterring
a thief greatly improve.
Don't leave the registration or Title in Your Car. A car thief will
use these to sell your stolen car. File the title at your home or
office, and carry registration in your purse or wallet.
Disable Your Vehicle When Leaving it Unattended for an Extended
Period. Remove the electronic ignition fuse, coil
wire, rotor distributor, or otherwise disable your vehicle anytime
thieves may have extended access to it.
Replace T-Shaped Door Locks With Straight Locks.
Some vehicle doors have lock assemblies at window level that flare
out in a knob or "T" shape. A thief can use various tools
to gain access inside the vehicle, grab and pull the lock. Straight
locks prevent this.
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Stolen cars/parts
are more easily traced when vehicle VIN numbers have been etched
on car windows and major parts.
Engrave Expensive Accessories. Engrave personal
ID numbers on car stereos, cellular phones, etc., so the thief will
have difficulty disposing of them.