Don’t make the mistake of thinking that because you live in a low crime area, you can leave items in your car or leave car doors unlocked.
Motor vehicle theft and vehicle trespasses are highest during the dog-days of summer when many of us become less vigilant about closing car windows and locking car doors, making our property attractive to thieves. If your car looks easy to break into, someone may do just that. It only takes a few simple precautions to help keep your car and your belongings safe.
Always lock up. It’s important to always lock your vehicle even if you are only running a quick errand.
Here are a few things to keep your vehicle and belongings secured:
- Never leave car windows open or doors unlocked.
- Never leave the car running
- Never leave keys in the car
- Never leave valuables in your car (cell phones, iPods, laptops, checkbooks, cash, etc…)
- Never park in dimly-lit, or abandoned areas
- Never leave a convertible top down
- Never leave personal documents in the vehicle
Also, be cautious where you park your car. The most common places that car thieves frequent are mall parking garages and lots, mass transit lots, college and school parking lots, rec center parking lots and dimly lit streets.
Put valuables away. Don’t leave valuables in a visible spot in the vehicle, put them in the trunk or better yet, take them with you. Thieves will smash a car window just to look inside a bag or box to see if it contains anything of value. Even if it contains nothing, you will be left with a broken window or door lock. Most frequently stolen items from vehicles are iPods/iPads, GPS, satellite radios, audio equipment, cell phones/smart phones, laptops, cameras, bulky shopping bags, DVDs, golf clubs, and purses/wallets.