Car Theft

By Dennis J James

With all the advancement in auto anti-theft technology you would believe that the theft of vehicles would be less than ever before, however, that statement is farther from the truth than you can imagine. A matter of fact, automobile theft is still a booming business. All anti-theft systems can only do so much to aid against car theft.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau recently reported that the vehicle theft rate has risen to nearly 1,260 million vehicles an increase of 14,000 over the previous year. With this report, it shows that car thefts have increased consecutively over the last four years. They also provide suggestions to help every car owner protect their cars from thieves. Anti-theft systems cost quite a bit of money and many car insurance companies do give discounts on your insurance if you have some types of anti-theft devices on your car.

The NICB reported that the total loss for owners and insurance companies due to car theft is more than $8 billion a year, which is a figure that is getting larger each year as vehicles cost more and more. Auto theft costs all drivers with higher insurance rates.

The NICB also reports that where you live also plays a major factor. According to their report, owners living in a port city, an urban area in general, or a town, which is on the border with Mexico or Canada, should take into consideration some extra protection. The NICB lists the top 10 cities, including their surrounding areas, with the highest vehicle thefts from highest to lowest: Modesto, CA.; Phoenix-Mesa, AZ.; Stockton-Lodi, CA.; Las Vegas, NV.; Sacramento, CA.; Fresno, CA.; Oakland, CA.; Miami, FL; San Diego, CA.; and Detroit, MI.

The vehicle you drive even affects its chances of finding itself in the hands of auto thieves. The NICB listed the following vehicles as the most stolen vehicles in 2003 starting with the most stolen, the 2000 Honda Civic, 1989 Toyota Camry, 1991 Honda Accord, 1994 Chevrolet 1500 pickup, 1994 Dodge Caravan, 1997 Ford F-150 pickup, 1986 Toyota Truck, 1995 Acura Integra, 1987 Nissan Sentra and 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass.

A few helpful tips for protecting your vehicles from car thieves include:

• Never leave your keys in your car; even if you think you have hidden them well, car thieves know all the hiding places.
• Never leave valuables in plain sight - this is too tempting.
• Never leave personal information in your car such as ID’s – this is just asking to become a victim of identity theft.
• Never leave the car title or registration in the car it makes it too easy to sale.
• Always park in well-lit areas.
• Most car thieves tow cars; always leave a standard vehicle in gear and with an automatic use your emergency brakes.
• If you put your car in the garage, lock all windows and doors in the garage.
• Do not believe your car is old so no thief would want it; age doesn’t stop a car thief.
• Even though, nothing can totally protect you against car thieves many could have been avoided with just a few precautions.