Preventing Car Theft

  • When you park, close all windows, lock all doors and take the keys with you. Thieves need less than 30 seconds to steal most cars.
  • Hide valuables out of site
  • Thieves are attracted not only to your car but also to the contents within. Thieves will often smash a window just to steal a camera, stereo, or car phone.
  • Turn wheels toward curve and apply emergency break.
  • Park with the front wheels turned slowly to the right or left and apply your emergency brake, making it difficult to tow your car away.
  • Leave your car in gear or park.
  • When parking a front-wheeled-drive car, place your vehicle in park and apply the emergency brake. If you have a stick shift, put the gear into forward or reverse and apply the brake.
  • Park in well-lighted areas. Why give a thief the advantage of working under the cover of darkness, unnoticed?
  • Lock both car and garage.
  • When parking inside your garage at home, lock both your car and the garage door. When parking in a public garage, give the attendant the ignition key only and lock all valuables in the trunk or glove compartment.
  • Don't let thieves trace you to your home.
  • Don't leave your wallet, purse, or driver's license in your car. Thieves could learn your address and later burglarize your home or impersonate you.
  • Etch your vehicle identification number (VIN).
  • Consider etching your VIN into all car windows. T-tops and other expensive, removable parts. Drop your business card into door panels. This may assist the police in identifying a stolen vehicle or stolen parts.
  • Install and activate an anti-theft device.
  • This may include devices which make the vehicle inoperable, such as a fuel cutoff or ignition kill switch, or devices such as sensors and motion detectors, sirens and paging units, steering wheel locks, shields that cover the ignition switch and wheel locks.
  • Check with your insurance company for information about the types of anti-theft devices which qualify for a discount on the comprehensive coverage of your policy.

For more information on:

  • Educational Videos
  • VIN Etching Program
  • Newsletter
  • Training Seminars

Call 518-694-8470