Auto Theft Prevention

General Protection Tips
  • Lock your car and take your keys
  • Park only in well-lit areas
  • Park in attended lots
  • Install an alarm on vehicle
  • Don’t put the alarm decal on the vehicle - a thief now knows it’s alarmed and may know how to defeat the alarm
  • Install a secondary (hidden) ignition switch that has to be switched on before the car can be started
  • Park with your wheels turned all the way toward the curb, this makes towing from the back more difficult
  • Remove coil wire from distributor
  • Use your steering wheel lock
  • Close windows all the way when parked
  • Don’t hide a 2nd set of keys in the vehicle
  • Never leave car running unattended
  • Don’t let a potential car buyer test drive your car alone
  • If you have a garage, use it
  • Lock your garage door and lock car doors when the vehicle is in the garage
  • Don’t keep anything in vehicle that has your name/address on it. A car thief who steals your car now knows where you live
  • Don’t loan your car to someone you don’t know very well
  • Don’t leave packages, cell phones, portable GPS units and empty bracket, etc in plain view - remove them from the vehicle
  • Use the parking brake when parked
  • When using valet parking, give the attendant only the ignition key - no house keys
When Purchasing a Car
  • If buying from an individual, be sure he is who he says he is
  • Be sure you can locate the seller after the sale
  • Check the VIN to make sure it hasn’t been tampered with
  • See if VIN matches the number on the seller's title
  • Be suspicious of a fresh paint job on a newer car
  • Ask for the manufactures keys not a replacement set - be suspicious if you’re given replacement keys on a newer car
  • Be suspicious if asking/settling price is “too good to be true”