Protect Your Automobile from Theft
Ever have your car stolen? I have. When I walked into the restaurants parking lot my car wasn’t in the spot where I parked. At first I thought maybe I forgot where I parked it. Then an empty feeling came over me and I knew it was stolen. When the police arrived I asked them if they were going to put out an “APB” which stands for “all-points bulletin” and the cop said, Son, you watch too much TV, we don’t do that.
A few days later I got a call that the police found my abandoned vehicle. Once I paid for the tow at the city yard, I got my car back. But when I started the car there was a knock in the engine. The next day it seized. It cost me $4000.00 to fix and the insurance company gave me only $700.00. I learned right there and then, auto security is my responsibility.
Cars are often stolen because people make it easy for the bad guy. Roll up your windows and lock your doors. Don’t do things like leave the car running while going into a store or leave the keys in the ignition at any time. Keep in mind auto thieves are always looking for hidden keys too. Don’t have valuable like laptops or bags exposed in the front seat.
The idea is to make it difficult by incorporating multiple layers of security. Newer cars often have “smart keys” that make it difficult for criminals to hot wire a car and kill switches to override a popped ignition. But even these measures of protection aren’t enough.
Doing things like parking in well-lit high trafficked areas may help, but don’t rely on a light bulb to protect your car.
Steering wheel locks and brake locks will deter some thieves help but can definitely be cut.
Many new cars come equipped with an alarm system that emits noise, has a kill switch and shuts off the gas. Service like OnStar can track a stolen vehicle. If your car doesn’t have a car alarm you should consider investing in one.
Definitely invest in a security system that tracks a stolen vehicle. Third party applications that are monitored by the police can be effective it recovering a stolen vehicle and even catching thieves in the act.
There are plenty of things you can do to reduce the chances your car will be stolen. Deterrence is the name of the game. But keep in mind there is no such thing as 100% security.
Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist toHome Security Source discussingADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures
