There is nothing like that sinking feeling you get when you arrive at your parking space and find your car missing. That feeling of helplessness is terrible, but what follows can be even worse.
Even if your insurance company pays to replace your stolen car, you still face the hassle of shopping, the time wasted talking to the police and filing a report and the struggle to find a replacement vehicle. Even worse, having your car stolen means having your sense of personal security shattered, and you may never feel as safe again.
Prevention is the Best Defense
If you do not want to go through all that pain, you need to take steps to protect your car from being stolen. While no plan is foolproof, there are practical measures you can take to protect your vehicle and make sure it is still there when you get back to where you parked it. Here are some common sense steps you can take to keep the car thieves at bay.
Make Yourself a Less Tempting Target
The first thing you can do to protect your car from being stolen is to make it less of a target. Car thieves and other criminals are always looking for the big score, and leaving valuable items in your vehicle is like waving a red flag at those who would take it.
Keep your valuable items out of sight or in the trunk and try to make your car look as inconspicuous as possible. If your car is not a tempting target, would-be thieves may simply pass it by.
Keep Your Car Locked
It may seem like common sense, but locking your car is a basic step may drivers fail to take. It may seem like overkill to lock your car when you will only be gone a few minutes, but it takes just a few seconds for an accomplished car thief to get behind the wheel and speed off.
Make locking your car a habit – over time it will become second nature. Locking your car is an essential first step, one that can keep you protected no matter where you drive.
Park in the Garage
If you have a garage but your car sleeps outside, it is time to do some spring cleaning. Simply parking your car in the garage greatly diminishes its chances of being stolen, so clean out your garage and make room for your set of wheels.
No one wants to have their car stolen, but cars are stolen every single day. The best way to protect yourself is to think like a car thief, making your car a less tempting target, locking it up and parking in the garage can all keep those bad guys at bay.
