When a criminal steals your beloved vehicle, it can sometimes feel like this event happened almost by accident and out of the blue. However, you would be wrong to believe this; Although criminals are opportunistic, they often plan their robbery and use various methods to achieve their goal.
A better understanding of these methods can give you the tools you need to protect your vehicle.
1. They Love Old Cars
While TV shows and movies may make you think that thieves tend to target high end luxury sports cars, in reality they will target old vehicles as they are much easier to get into, steal, not least because old ignitions are easy to start, so if your car is over 10 years old, you need to take extra safety precautions such as installing a GPS tracking system, a spare alarm, steering lock or vehicle immobilizer.
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2. They want your car for its parts
For thieves, most of the time it’s not your car directly, but the parts of your car – chances are they are looking to resell the parts of your car.
3. Public parking lots are very attractive to car thieves
No matter where you choose to park in a public space, such as a mall or a stadium, your car is vulnerable. A thief in a parking lot is like a kid in a candy store, because there are a variety of vehicles to choose from, and many of those cars aren’t secure enough. Therefore, you must park as close as possible to the entrance to the building, avoid leaving your car on the edge of a property and ensure that your vehicle is in view of a surveillance system.
4. The more your car is hidden, the better (for thieves)
A former car thief revealed that thieves like to target dark, secluded places like parking garages as they are much less likely to be caught in the act compared to stealing a car that is parked in broad daylight on the street. And there’s a lot less chance of a witness spotting them or encountering a conflict.
5. How You Park Makes a Difference
It may not seem like much, but you can protect your car from theft simply by parking it a certain way. Where possible, try to park your vehicle with the front facing an obstacle, such as a guardrail or wall – this will make it more difficult for thieves to drive over or tow your car if they cannot not start it. When parking on the street, try to park under a light, turn the wheels toward the curb and lock the steering wheel.
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It’s not like car thieves walk around with a sign on their back saying “I’m a car thief”. Car thieves tend to blend into the crowd and you probably wouldn’t be able to identify a suspicious person on the street.
This makes it even more necessary to take extra precautions against thieves. Sometimes it can seem like taking extra precautions is a waste of time. But it is important and very necessary.
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