Auto Theft

Auto theft has been decreasing over the last few years. Anti-theft devices surely have a great deal to do with that. Unlike the improvement in auto theft preventative devices in the 80s that simply made stealing a car more difficult, today's anti-theft devices also serve to draw attention to the would-be thief.

Changes in Auto Theft

In the 1980s, devices made it impossible for the car's ignition to be used without the proper key. Some made it difficult if not impossible to steer a car once stolen. These things discouraged car thieves, but made determined thieves who couldn't figure out how to steal cars equipped with anti-theft devices resort to a more dangerous form of auto theft-carjacking.

Carjacking is when a thief steals your car while you're in it. The victim is often pulled or thrown from the car, threatened with a weapon until he or she leaves the car, or in some cases, kidnapped along with the stolen car. This type of auto theft is more dangerous for both the victim and the criminal because the violence or threat of violence involved.

Today's anti-theft devices make it even more difficult for auto theft to occur. Flashing lights, sirens and sometimes automated systems that contact monitoring companies can not only prevent auto theft, but help in the apprehension of the would-be thief.

Decreasing Your Risk of Auto Theft

There are certain circumstances under which auto theft is more likely to happen, and steps you can take to reduce your risk of having your car stolen.

• Keep the doors locked, even (especially) when you're in the car
• Park your car in protected areas
• Park your car in well-lit areas
• Use an anti-theft system
• Make sure you anti-theft warning is visible
• Have the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) etched onto one of the windows. This makes it difficult for a thief to steal a car without having it identified later, and increases the likelihood that if your car is stolen, it will be recovered.
• Keep the windows up. Even a cracked window makes the window easier to break
• Don't leave anything valuable, even CDs, out in the car where they can be seen through the window'
• Don't keep a spare set of keys in or anywhere attached to your car, even in a magnetic sleeve hidden from view. Car thieves look for those things.
• Use a steering wheel lock that's easily visible. A thief will be deterred and move on to an easier car

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