Car Theft Can Happen To Anyone
You wake up one morning, get ready for work, grab your coffee and car keys and head outside to your automobile. Maybe you don't always lock it up, but who would want to steal an eight-year-old car from right in front of your house?
Outside you realize that something is wrong; your car is not in the spot where you left it. A wave of panic washes over you. Incredulous, you walk around the block hoping maybe, maybe you parked it somewhere else, but it's nowhere to be found. Eventually, the inevitable sinks in: your car has been stolen. It's gone, along with all its contents. Confused and angry, you head back into the house to dig up your insurance information and begin the frustrating process of reporting the theft to the insurance company and the police.
How Serious Is Auto Theft?
A stolen car creates a myriad of problems for the owner: loss of transportation, a sense of violation, a time gap for replacement, the overall "hassle factor." A vehicle is stolen every 20 seconds in this country. On average, some one and a half million vehicles are stolen each year across the U.S. The cost to Americans is an overwhelming $8 billion per year.
Thieves steal vehicles for transportation, exportation, parts, gang initiation, to commit other crimes, to scam insurance companies, and for several other reasons. Neighborhoods, shopping malls, city parking lots, and streets are favorite targets of thieves, but auto theft can happen virtually anywhere at any time of day.
Age Before Beauty
As most car thieves are opportunists, they look for vehicles that are easy to steal, regardless of age. Why? As cars age, the parts for them become more in demand. A car can be worth several times its value in the underground market for replacement parts. Some makes and models have remained virtually unchanged for several years, so their parts are interchangeable. One make's parts can often fit another's as well, making any older car highly desirable to a thief. In fact, the ten most stolen vehicles in America are at least four years old.
Top 10 Vehicles Reported Stolen in the U.S. in 2001:
- Acura Integra
- Jeep Wrangler
- Jeep Cherokee 4WD
- Honda Prelude
- Mitsubishi Mirage, 2-door
- Chrysler 300M
- Hyundai Tiburon
- Dodge Intrepid
- Mitsubishi Mirage, 4-door
- Chrysler LHS
Park Smart
Drivers can take proactive precautions that will greatly reduce the chances of theft. The first line of defense is to always "park smart." Make it a routine, just like buckling your seatbelt. Do all the common sense things you already know you should do, faithfully: lock the car each and every time you get in and out of it; take your keys; roll up all windows; park in well-lighted areas; never leave packages, bags, purses, briefcases, cellular phones, anything a thief could want (which is anything) in plain view; purchase anti-theft devices and use them. Don't forget to lock the sunroof! And don't leave a spare key in the car. Thieves have that one down. Instead, have just the car key duplicated and carry it in your purse.
Give parking attendants your car key only, no others, or pick a parking lot where you don't give your keys. Unless required by law, never leave your registration or title in the glove box; thieves can sell your vehicle and know where you live. Likewise, don't leave your address or other identifying information such as your signature in the car where it can be found and later forged. These are also good tips to keep you consistently cleaning the inside of your car! Lock up your garage door opener in the trunk or glove box, or take it with you. If a thief steals your car, he could later get into the garage and maybe your home.
Thieves watch for people who leave their cars running outside the convenience store while they run in for just a minute or while they pay for their gas at the pump or warm up the vehicle up on a cold day. If tempted to do any of these, think twice and remember it only takes a second for a thief to get behind the wheel and take off in your car.
At home, back your car into your driveway to prevent a thief from raising the hood and hot wiring your car while appearing as if he is the owner working on it. Ask your mechanic to show you how to remove the distributor cap or coil wire, and do so if you are going out of town.
Be Prepared
Have your car appraised periodically so that if it is stolen and not recovered, you will have some documentation to present to your insurer.
If you have a garage, use it. Lock your car inside and lock the garage door as well. Make a thief work harder to get into your car and increase his chances of getting caught. Again, put the alarm or anti-theft device on to "harden the target."
When parking on the street turn your wheels sharply to the curb, and put on your parking break. Thieves sometimes brazenly steal vehicles by towing or loading them on to flat-bed trucks on the theory that no one notices. They are often right.
Watch Out For "Hot" Buys
Whether at a dealer's lot or with a private party, always check the VIN (the vehicle's unique identification number located on a small plate on the driver's side of the dashboard) for tampering and compare the number to the number on the title, registration papers, and federal certification label on the driver's side door. Ask for the original manufacturer's keys. If they don't have them, the car may have been stolen without them, and the hot deal may be too hot. If you suspect the car is stolen, check with your local police department to see if they have a similar vehicle listed. Check for a different color paint inside the driver's door, which may indicate a stolen car has been repainted to avoid detection. If a car you purchase is found to be stolen the police will confiscate it without any reimbursement or refund to you.
Consider purchasing a vehicle that is far less likely to be stolen than others, making it less expensive to own and insure. Visit the Highway Loss Data Institute Website at http://www.carsafety.org for a list of vehicles, comparing their rates of injury, collision losses and susceptibility to theft.
Anti-Theft Devices
Anti-theft devices come in all flavors. While not foolproof, they can deter amateurs and frustrate professionals. There are a number to select from, depending on your budget and risk, including:
Alarm systems: Devices that sound sirens, horns, lights, or even verbally rebuke the tamperer, varying widely in price.
Steering wheel lock: Locks steering wheel in place to prevent turning. (Downside: these can be quickly sawed off).
Window stickers: Deters thieves by warning them car has an auto theft system. (Downside: thieves have been known to test whether a car has such a system by rocking it for the alarm.
Vehicle Tracking: Hidden transmitter allows stolen car to be tracked by police. (Downside: not available in all areas; you may not know car is gone, and by the time you call police, car is chopped and device is disposed of).
VIN etching: The vehicle identification number of your car is etched on windows and major parts to make them easier to trace.
Steering column and ignition lock: Cover goes over steering column, locks, stopping access to ignition.
Fuel or "Kill" switch: Inexpensive switch inside vehicle cuts off fuel supply or "kills" electrical current and must be flipped before car will start. Only driver knows where it is. Best when combined with a hood lock to keep thief from cutting switch wires under hood. Check if car's warranty is affected.
Steering column collar: Metal sheath surrounding the steering column preventing access to the ignition switch. (Downside: Could be dangerous in an auto accident.)
Locking gas cap.
Keyless entry system: Computer keypad lock where only you know the code. Appearing now on newer cars.
How do you know which of these is right for your car and situation? The National Insurance Crime Bureau, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating insurance crime and supported by 1,000 insurers, advocates a "layered approach" to protecting your car. The more layers you have on your vehicle, the more difficult it is to steal. To take their Theft Prevention Checkup test to determine how many layers of protection are best for your vehicle, visit their Website at http://www.nicb.org or contact Jeff Benzing at (708) 430-2430.
Help Law Enforcement
Sometimes a determined thief can steal your car no matter how hard you try to protect it. Help law enforcement recover it by dropping business cards down inside the doors through the window slots, so it can be more easily identified if found. Mark your car's vehicle identification number (VIN) found on the driver's side by the windshield in several concealed places. Engrave radios and other expensive accessories with the car's VIN. If your car does get stolen, notify the police of identifying protective measures you took. If you locate the vehicle yourself, be sure to let the police know right away or your car may be pulled over as stolen.
Keep all the information about your car in a place you know you can get to it, such as on the refrigerator or in your purse. Make, model, color, year, identifying marks, VIN, license plate number, insurance company, policy number, agent's name and number, and number for the police will make it easier to report a theft.
For further information: Illinois Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Council. (312) 793-8550.
