10 Tips for Preventing Auto Theft

We Canadians love our cars. They’re not only a convenience, but in most cases, they’re a necessity. According to Statistics Canada, there were 33,771,855 motor vehicles registered in the country in 2016. That’s a lot of automobiles. And a lot of opportunity for theft. To help diminish the risk of car theft, Cooke shares the following tips:

1. You’re just going to be gone for a minute. Or perhaps it’s mid-winter and the temperature is freezing. Despite either scenario, NEVER leave your car unattended and running. It’s an invitation to theft and a perfect set up for a crime of opportunity.

2. Why make it easy for a thief to steal your car? NEVER leave your keys in your car’s ignition, even if it is locked in a garage. Providing a thief with the means to take your vehicle just doesn’t make sense.

3. It’s a hot day and you’ve been driving with your window rolled down. You run an errand or you go home, leaving the car right in front of your house. Is your window still down? Make sure they’re all rolled up and your car is locked. Why work with a car thief to provide this opportunity? Even if you live in a community where “everybody leaves their doors open”, it’s time to change that thinking to “Security first”.

4. Anything you can do to make the theft of your car more difficult is a step in the right direction. Consider anti-theft devices such as steering wheel locks, fuel cut-off switches, and an auto alarm system. If you have an auto alarm system, make sure that you display the alarm decal in proximity to the driver’s door handle.

5. Another measure you can take is to have your vehicle identification number (VIN) etched into each piece of glass on your car. Seeing this will act as a deterrent to thieves as it easily identifies your car and makes parts more difficult to sell by being easily traceable.

6. Theft is less likely to occur where there is less opportunity for privacy. When parking, it’s best to park in a high traffic area with a lot of activity. The more people around, the less likely it is for a theft to go unnoticed, or to even be attempted.

7. If you park in a parking garage, make sure to take your pay-ticket with you as opposed to leaving it in the car. Should a thief break into your car, having access to the ticket will allow him to exit the garage with your vehicle.

8. If you are high society enough to be using valet parking, take your car ignition key off of your keychain, and just give the car key only to the valet.

9. It’s crucial that you have any identification for your car recorded and kept in a place other than your vehicle. Record your license plate number and VIN and keep them with your driver’s license. If you think you may have trouble recalling the make, model and year of your vehicle, record those as well. This is key information that the police will need in any recovery effort.

10. As well as providing you with these straightforward tips for car security, Cooke Insurance can help you with a custom and comprehensive policy. We can also discuss with you any further steps that you can take to make sure that you’re not a victim of car loss, and in the unfortunate instance that you are, we can get you back on the road as soon as possible. Contact our auto insurance experts at 1-800-566-5666 or click here for our Staff directory today.

 

 

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