11 Car Security Tips

A car is an essential investment in our lives. Waking up to find your car stolen or broken into is something you want to avoid considering that they are expensive to replace, and the cost of maintenance is usually high. To avoid being dragged into a nasty car theft case, it is best to invest in the following car security tips.

1. Always lock your car.

You must always lock your car even if you leave only for short periods at a gas station, as many cars get stolen because of such reckless behaviors. You also need to shut the windows and the sunroof before leaving your vehicle.

You can contact a locking specialist such as thelockboss.ie to install a reliable lock system. Additionally, these professionals can quickly replace lost car keys through their reliable key cutting and duplication services.

2. Car alarms

Car alarms are a constant source of annoyance until they notify you of an attempted burglary. Modern models come with pre-fitted alarm systems, but the responsibility of turning them on after parking is yours. Alarms do not offer physical protection from thieves and vandals, but the threat of piercing sound in the middle of a parking lot or at 3 am inside your garage is enough to scare away a thief.

3. Car immobilizer

Watching Hollywood blockbusters shows us how easily a thief can turn a car on without an ignition key. A car immobilizer is an electronic device that prevents a car’s engine’s ignition without a proper ignition key.

4. Car tracking system

Most car trackers utilize GPS technology to ping your car’s real-time location. A GPS car tracker is a small chip fitted into your vehicle and can be activated remotely to give its location. Unfortunately, GPS trackers have limited range and might not transmit signals in places such as an underground parking lot.

Apart from GPS trackers, VHF technology can be used on a car tracker. VHF trackers have a powerful range and can be tracked in obstructed locations.

5. Steering locks

Steering, handbrake, and gearstick locks are metallic locking devices that activate when the car is off. These locks can disable the gearstick, handbrakes, and steering motions unless you restart the vehicle’s engine using its ignition key. They are readily available in any decent garage at affordable prices and should be used alongside other measures, as a seasoned vandal can bypass them.

6. Secure parking

Parking your car in dark alleys or away from your house makes it an easy target for car thieves. If you have a driveway or a garage, use it, and if you have to park on the roadside, select a well lit and busy area.

7. Hide valuables

Some thieves break into cars to steal valuable items left behind by car owners. If you leave expensive gadgets, wallets, and other essentials on car seats, it attracts unnecessary attention, especially if the windows are not tinted.

8. Keep your car key safe.

This might come as a no-brainer, but research indicates that 5% of car theft cases in Up-State New York started with lost car keys. It is advisable to keep your spare key locked away at home or the office while it is unwise to store your regular car keys in a bunch of household keys as they can become an easy target. 

9. Fit wheel locks

You wouldn’t believe it until you see your car popped up on bricks. Modern alloy car wheels are expensive, making them a soft target for thieves. Considering the little effort needed to remove a vehicle’s wheels, it is a walk in the park.

Fortunately, you can lock your wheel nuts using affordable wheel locks.

10. Marking and etching

Marking involves stamping your car with unique identification characters ingrained on various parts of your vehicle using an invisible ultra-violet marker. Alternatively, you can use sophisticated modern technology to cover your car with patterns made of thousands of microdots, each encoded with your identifiable details.

On the other hand, etching involves ingraining the last seven digits of your car’s registration number on the car windows and lighting covers. Marking and etching help you identify your vehicle after it has been recovered.

11. Exercise caution

Before leaving your car, check around the interior to see if anything can appeal to an outsider. Additionally, remember to turn on your immobilizer, wheel clamp, and alarm before locking up.

After leaving the car, double-check the lock-up by walking around your vehicle to confirm if all windows and doors are completely locked. You can try peeping in to see if you have left anything that can attract unnecessary attention.

These cautionary steps might seem cumbersome, but they are better than having your car stolen.

Endnote

Car theft is unexpected, but you can reduce the chances of being a victim of car theft by putting necessary anti-theft measures in place.

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