Dude, Where’s My Car?! 6 Things You Can Do to Scare Away Aspiring Car Thieves

Car theft is possibly one of the worst things you could face as a motorist. Either those low-life’s target your ride’s parts such as the steel tubes, the mufflers, and what not, or they’d run off with your entire car altogether. Whatever the case, it’s best that you keep yourself and your vehicle safe. For starters, you can try some of the car theft prevention tips listed below.

Garage It

More often than not, you’ll see garages from different homes filled to the brim with items such as clothing, furniture and other extra stuff. Don’t imitate their homeowners and follow suit! Generally speaking, garages are built to house your car, not to be used as a storage room. So use it for what it’s made for and stop parking your sweet ride outside on the curb! This way your automobile will be safer and it will be inside your property line. Thieves are usually deterred whenever seeing vehicles inside the garage since it would take them more effort to steal it.

Get a Steering Wheel Lock

It may not be that popular of an anti-car theft tool today, but back in the 90’s you could see steering wheel locks in almost every parked vehicle. This device is designed to keep your steering wheel immobile, thus making it harder for carjackers to move the vehicle in case they get past the doors. Some people are skeptical about its effectiveness; nevertheless, it’s still one of the most efficient antitheft tools available. For instance, police in the United Kingdom are recommending steering wheel locks to luxury car owners to prevent car theft, arguing that it’s a simple and affordable tool to stop thieves from running off with their precious, expensive automobiles.

Lock the Car Doors

Be aware that it’s still highly possible for your car to be stolen away from you even while you’re inside the vehicle. So better keep the doors locked at all times to avoid this from happening to you while on the road.

Be Careful With Your Valuables

Aside from your car, thieves would also try to take away some of your other stuff, including your phones, laptops, bags and wallets. So don’t, under any circumstance, leave your valuables inside your car. Still, if you can’t help it, you can always tuck your things away inside the trunk or the glove compartment. Or you can place it cleverly under the seat. Either way, you must make sure that none of it is visible so as to not attract any unwanted attention.

Never Leave Your Engine Running

It’s perfectly fine to leave your car’s engine running as long as you have another person with you inside the vehicle—especially if the guy is brutish and know karate! That way, somebody can guard your car while you are gone. But to leave the engine on while cruising solo is quite another story! Even if you’re just running back inside home for your forgotten wallet, don’t keep your car’s engine running. It would just make it easy target for aspiring car thieves. Keep the keys with you at all times or leave it with someone you trust well such as your parent or spouse (or someone like that aforementioned brute).

Park in Well-Lit Areas

As much as possible, don’t park your vehicle in an area that’s dark and far away from your location. By keeping it in a nearby, well-lit public area, thieves are less likely to steal your vehicle in fear of having many witnesses.

Keep these tips in mind and you can rest assured that your car would be well prepared against any attempted theft. Still, if you’re still worried, it’s best that you know the contact information of your nearest police precinct. That way, you can get help should the need arises.