9 ways to prevent your car from getting broken into
Cars get broken in to all the time, and if the car itself doesn’t get stolen, there will be something else that’s gone missing. Here are some tips to help you to prevent your car from getting broken in to.
1. The first tip is the most obvious, but still needs to be mentioned. No matter how little time you will be away from your car for… LOCK your car! Almost a quarter of thefts happen from unlocked vehicles. Thats 25% more than should happen.
2. The second tip is also an obvious one. Do not leave valuable items lying in full view on car seats. Always make sure that your possessions are safely locked away in the boot when you are driving and whenever your car is parked in a public area. This is also why a lot of smash-and-grab incidents take place.
3. The third tip goes along with tip number 2, but is probably the most overlooked one. Put your accessories away! It doesn’t do much good to hide your GPS, or iPod, if you leave the charger plugged in, or the wire going into the glove box. Most thieves are experts at what they do, and know all the tell-tale signs to look for.
4. If you don’t have a car alarm, you should invest in one! Alarm systems these days are cheap, and can be quickly installed for a lower cost than replacing stolen goods.
5. It would be wise to empty your car at the end of each day to avoid it becoming cluttered with stuff that could be eye candy to a criminal.
6. Park in well lit areas, and not in between two vehicles bigger than yours. Once again, if you put your vehicle in a secluded area, it makes it an easy target and provides great cover for a suspecting thief.
7. When storing valuables in a boot, or glove box, do it before you get to your location. If a thief knows your boot is stuffed full of goodies, it takes less than 30 seconds after you leave to smash your window, pull the boot release, and run.
8. Install window safety film on your car’s windows. It will it serve as protection against potential smash-and-grab attackers and if you use a tinted film, it makes it more difficult for criminals to see into the vehicle.
9. Have a lookout for car remote jammers. This involves the blocking of car remotes using a household remote. Areas being targeted include parking lots at schools and service stations.
Also see our tips on how to prevent a smash-and-grab incident from happening to you.
Ané