"My Car Was Stolen" Misery - 10 Prevention Tips

By: Sunny Tan

Car theft folks have been so diversified with their sets of car
theft skills that they could virtually penetrate into any car
makes without much glitch. They have been enjoying virtually
good income from stealing cars. As much as you would hate it,
here are tips on how to prevent car theft so you can put a smack
on their faces for good and relieve you from the car theft misery

Do you know that 3 out of 4 people in the United States do not
have car theft protection systems or any car anti theft device
installed on their cars? Well even if they do, most them do not
even bothered to activate these car anti theft devices. Just
think about it, when was the last time you left your car idling
outside while you were busy picking up snacks from the gas
stations?

Let's face it, car theft "market" for these car theft folks have
been literally blooming and striving like a twister on steroids.
According to Insurance Information Institute, US, the average
value of a motor vehicle reported stolen in 2003 was $6,797,
compared with $6,701 in 2002. The latest key statistic says that
for every 25 seconds, a motor vehicle is stolen in the United
States.

1) Lock it up.

Lock your vehicle at all times, close all windows and sun roof
and take your keys



2) Don't be dumb by hiding keys in your car.

Never hide second set of keys in or on your vehicle. The car
thieves can outsmart you by knowing all the hiding places.



3) Hide valuables

Don't think about leaving your valuables in your car and left to
be seen by the potential car thieves. Items left in the open
attract car thieves.



4) Protect Your Data - Beware of Identity fraud.

Don't ever leave any important documents such as bank
statements, credit card bills/statements, or other personal
information in your car. Car thefts can use this vital
information against you and steal your bank money by accessing
your bank or credit car accounts.



5) Do not dispose your Car registration

Some drivers literally take convenience up to the extreme. They
often leave their car registration or car titles inside their
car. Doing so may help the car thieves to dispose your car
faster than you can ever imagine.



6) Parking Strategy

Do you know that parking at the right place may literally
prevent car thefts and protect your car altogether? It is best
to park in well lit areas with plenty of pedestrian traffic.



7) Stop idling and learn to increase gas mileage.

By leaving your car unattended might literally pose a danger to
your car of being stolen, especially when you are at the
convenient stores or ATMs. The ebook "Gas Mileage Tactics" at
http://www.extragasmileage.com will reveal to you that not only
learning to stop idling will prevent car thefts, but also the
potential wastage of gas and wear and tear of your car. So
you'll get two sides of the same coin literally.



8) Prevent Theft by Towing.

You'd be surprised that thieves nowadays use tow trucks to steal
vehicles. At the most extreme cases, some of them might pose as
the bank credit officer and tow your car away in the broad
daylight. So always use your emergency brakes and leave your
transmission in the park position. You should also turn the
wheels toward the curb. Although these steps will not 100%
prevent auto thefts, but somehow or rather, this will make up a
nightmare for the potential car thieves who use tow trucks to
steal vehicles.



9) Park in your garage.

If you have a car porch / garage in your house, always park your
car at those places and never park them outside of your house.
Lock the gates or the garage as well as your car windows.

10) The "One" is not enough.

There are many car anti theft devices that are mushrooming in
the auto market like nobody's business. Although I will not say
that these car anti theft devices may 100% prevent car thefts
altogether, but at least it will prolong their time to steal
your car and bring them one heck of a tough time to hack into
your vehicle. So if you happen to park your car in high theft
areas, never rely on just one device alone. Use as many as you
can.



Here are some of the car anti theft devices you can use.

i. Vehicle Alarm

Vechile Alarms are one of the most common security alarm in a
motorcar today. It pays in actually invest in a good car alarm
system. Most auto alarm systems are equipped with motion sensors
as well as impact sensors. As series of high-decibel tones are
blasted out when somebody is trying to steal your vehicle. High
quality car alarm systems may include an automatic kill switch
and may also use flashing headlights and horn in addition to
sounding the siren.

ii. Steering Wheel Lock

This is a simple device which looks like a long metal bar with a
lock that fits on the steering wheel. When fitted on, it
prevents the steering wheel from being turned. It's a pretty
inexpensive way to safeguard your car.



iii. Starter disablers.

There are quite a few of common starter disablers in the market.
They serve as the one last extra safeguard to your car in case
the car thief has broken into your car. These devices e.g
armored collars will prevent them from breaking into the
steering column to hot wire the vehicle. Some disablers may be
used to prevent the flow of electricity of fuel to the engine,
thus making it impossible for the thieves to get the car
running.



So here are the top car theft protection tips for you. Apply
them and you will see your vehicles better protected.



About the author:
Sunny Tan debunks the myth and truth about ways to increase gas mileage
in his latest ebook Gas Mileage Tactics at http://www.extragasmileage.
com. He also favors writing tips articles for his website http://www.tips.com.my
covering many aspects and subjects. S