Expert car thieves can steal any vehicle if they are motivated. The National Insurance Crime Bureau suggests a layered approach to preventing your car from being stolen. The more layers you have protecting your car the less likely it is to be stolen. Here are the 4 layers:
Layer 1 – Common Sense
Obviously, you don’t want to leave your vehicle unlocked with the keys in the ignition. You are asking for trouble if you do that. Have some common sense when it comes to protecting your car.
- Lock your doors and windows
- Don’t leave the keys in the ignition
- Park in a public, well-lit area
Layer 2 – Warning Device
The next layer of vehicle protection is a visible or audible device. The devices below could prevent a thief from attempting to steal your car. They can be powerful deterrents.
- Audible alarms
- Steering column collars
- Steering wheel/Brake pedal lock
- Brake locks
- Wheel locks
- Tire locks/Tire deflators
- Theft deterrent decals
- Identification markers in or on vehicle
- Window etching
- Laminated glass
Layer 3 – Immobilizing Device
This is a device which prevents a thief from bypassing your car’s ignition by hot-wiring it. Some electronic devices have computer chips in ignition keys. Other devices inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch or button is activated.
Popular third layer devices include:
- Smart keys
- Fuse cut-offs
- Kill switches
- Starter, ignition and fuel disablers
Layer 4 – Tracking Device
If your car is stolen you can have a tracking device that emits a signal that alerts the cops or a monitoring station. These tracking devices are a tremendous help in recovering stolen vehicles. These tracking devices can use GPS technology to track the car and even cut it off.
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