How To Make Your Car Unattractive To Thieves

In the US, a car is stolen every 24 seconds. Could yours be next? How do you protect your vehicle from the chop shop? There are many recommended techniques that experts say help to deter thieves. None are a guarantee that your car will be safe, but you can decrease your chances of becoming a victim of auto theft.

One important thing to know about auto theft is that thieves target specific cars for their resale value, as parts. They do not steal cars as a personal attack against the owner. They profile a vehicle for its value and evaluate the difficulty of stealing the model. If they find few deterrents, they may steal your car. If they find that breaking in will take too much time or potentially attract attention, they will look for another car to target.

Here a few ideas to help make thieves want to pass your car by.

 When shopping for a new car, check with your local police department to get a list of the most frequently stolen models. Try to avoid purchasing one of these high profile vehicles.

 Park your vehicle in a locked garage or behind a locked gate. Most vehicles are stolen when parked on the street or in a large parking area. If you must park in a lot, park in a well lighted area near the entrance of a building or alleyway. He idea is to keep your vehicle in a highly traveled area that will provide less of an opportunity for a thief to have enough time to break in unnoticed.

 Never leave your car running unattended, not even for a few minutes. This is like an open invitation to a thief. By leaving the engine running without an owner in sight, you are making a their job easy.

 Don't leave items on the seat or floor. Keep all valuables out of sight. Lock your purse, briefcase and laptop in the trunk. Some thieves will break into your car just for a few bucks lying on the dash or a collection of CD's on the seat.

 Don't leave your vehicle registration or other personal identification in the vehicle. This gives a thief easy access to your home address and phone number, leaving you open to attacks at your home. A thief can take your personal identification information and wipe out your bank account, obtain loans and generally wreak havoc with information like your date of birth and social security number.

 Don't leave a second set of keys in the car. Thieves know all the best hiding spots and will check them for easy access to your vehicle.

You can also investigate the possibility of purchasing a theft deterrent product. The effectiveness of many anti-theft devices is questionable, so use discretion when shopping. While no one can completely protect their vehicle against being stolen, you can help improve the chances that yours will be passed over. Always use common sense and make sure your car offers any potential thief as little temptation as possible.