Vehicle Theft Prevention and Steps

In 2016 alone, all motor vehicle thefts totaled a loss of $5.9 billion, including automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and all other motor vehicles. By the first half of 2017, the number of vehicle thefts increased by 4.1%. There is constantly an increase in vehicle theft/car break-in statistics as the years go by. How can we fight against car thefts and make sure our vehicles are secure?

This article will tell you how you can prevent your car from being stolen, types of car thefts that you should be aware of, and what you should do in case your car does get stolen. You’ll be equipped with everything you need to deal with these situations.

Types of Vehicular Thefts

There are many different types of vehicle thieves, and understanding their intents and common schemes will help us better prevent car thefts.

Some thieves only want your car for parts. Sometimes, they might just steal some car parts and not the car itself. This is a situation in which parking in a public well-lit location can prevent this. Additionally, parking close to the curb with the wheels turned in will make it difficult for the thief to steal your tires. These kinds of thefts are usually done by professionals, and if you do retrieve your car in the end, it probably won’t be in one piece. Time is even more important in these situations, so give the police as much information as you can so you can hopefully get your car back intact.

Some car thieves steal luxury cars for a joy-ride. In these situations, they are likely not professional car thieves, so loud alarms and blinking lights are more likely to scare them off. People often get their cars back in these situations, but the damage may be sustained to the vehicle. For those who simply steal the car for a joy-ride and then ditch the car somewhere, Vyncs GPS tracker will be very helpful for retrieving your car.

Steal car for valuables: There are also thieves that will break into your car just to steal valuables, and the best way to avoid these thefts is to of course keep valuables out of sight of possible perpetrators.

Other vehicle theft scenarios: In some vehicle theft scenarios, one person will rear-end your car so you get out to check it. Then, another person will then steal your car, and both people will drive off. This is why you should never leave your car running when you’re not in the car! If you need to leave your car to check a rear-end, turn your car off and LOCK IT. If you are rear-ended and it appears to be a car theft situation, just stay in your car and call the police to report the situation. Make sure to get the license number of the car that rear-ended you. If the rear-end bump is part of a car theft scheme, collecting as much information about them as possible to report them to the police will help prevent more vehicle thefts.

Preventing Vehicle Theft

Vehicle theft can be prevented with the following steps and we will discuss some of the most effective methods for preventing vehicle theft below.

• Don’t lose your keys. Make sure you always know where they are and make sure they are in a safe, private location where they cannot be stolen. Beware of pickpockets. NEVER leave your car keys in your vehicle.
• Keep spare keys safe. You can keep your spare keys at home or with someone you trust. Do NOT keep it in your car or in a publicly accessible location.
• Always lock your car. Even when you’re driving, make sure you keep your car locked.
• Avoid keeping valuables in the car. Keep valuables at home or take them with you when you leave your car. If keeping valuables in your car isn’t avoidable, keep them out of sight. Easily visible valuables in your car will automatically make it a target. You may lose your valuables and your car, or you may be left with a damaged car and missing valuables.
• Never leave a running car unattended. Even if it’s only for a short time, don’t take the risk. It won’t take much extra time to turn off your car and lock it. Don’t make it easy for thieves to steal your car!
• Do not leave vehicle registration in the car. If the thief gets pulled over and your vehicle registration in the car, they’ll be able to claim ownership of the car. Always keep your car registration with you so if the thief gets pulled over they won’t have the registration! This will make it more likely for you to get your car back.
• At night, avoid parking your car in dark locations. Instead, try to park your vehicle in well-lit areas that are less likely to be targeted. Thieves tend to target cars that are parked in dark and isolated locations, so this is exactly what you should be avoiding!
• Don’t leave car windows open. Leaving your car windows open will make it easier for a thief to break in and steal your car. Don’t lock your car but forget to roll up your windows.
• Make sure your car alarm works. Loud alarms and flashing lights will scare off the thieves in some cases and draw attention to your vehicle being stolen so someone will call 9-1-1 and report it. Witnesses will make it easier to retrieve your car if it’s stolen. Don’t make it easy for the thief – make a scene!
• Be aware of loiterers in parking lots. If you see someone loitering in an area, avoiding parking in that location. It is important to always be aware of your surroundings.
• Beware on holidays. Most car thefts occur on Halloween, so be especially wary on this day.
• Get a GPS tracker for your car.GPS trackers will allow you to track your car if it gets stolen, so you’re likely to be able to get it back. Next, we’ll talk a little bit more about GPS trackers for your car.

GPS Tracking:The Best Way to Stop Vehicular Theft

GPS trackers are devices which you can keep in your car at all times to track the movements of your car. The Vyncs GPS tracker plugs into the OBD-II port of your car, so it does not use a battery that will need replacement. This means your GPS tracker will always work, and you won’t have to worry about it dying when your car gets stolen. You can also use the GPS tracker to periodically check up on your car to make sure it’s still exactly where you parked it. Vyncs provides remote GPS tracking through their Android and iOS phone app and through their web portal from your computer. With these features, you can track your car anytime, anywhere. With 3 minute GPS updates, upgradable to as fast as 15 seconds, you’ll always know where your car is.  Even when your car is off, the Vyncs GPS tracker will still work.  The device will turn on and update the car’s location every 1 hour. Hiding your GPS tracking device is essential. You don’t want a thief to see it and unplug the device, or you won’t be able to track your car anymore. OBD cables are a perfect solution for keeping your GPS tracker away from the eyes of thieves.

What are OBD cables and how do you use them?

1. Extension cables
2. Splitter cables
3. Power supply cables

Extension cables and splitter cables are handy in deceiving thieves so they cannot find or see your GPS tracker. The extension cable can allow you to hide the tracking device in your glove compartment or another hiding location. The splitter will allow you to plug your tracking device into one of the wires that can be hidden. The other wire will appear empty so a thief wouldn’t think there’s a tracking device plugged in. This will prevent them from disconnecting your device, so you can always track your car. If your car does not have an OBD-II port, power supply cables can plug into the Emergency Power Supply or cigarette lighter and you can then plug your OBD device into that cable. All of these cables are not sold by Vyncs but can be bought from Amazon for less than $10.

These are the three types of extension cable:

1. OBD extension cable
2. OBD splitter cable
3. OBD power supply cable

What to do if your car is stolen / What to do in a vehicle theft situation

Preventing car theft is difficult no matter how much you do to protect your car, but it might still get stolen. If you get into this situation, we’ll tell you what to do so you can be prepared and can get your car back!

Effective steps in case of car theft:

If your car is stolen, remember not to panic. The first thing you’ll want to do is call the police and report the theft. Make sure to tell the police your license plate number and the year, make, model, and color of the car. If you noticed any suspicious behavior before your car was stolen, or even saw your car being stolen, make sure you report all the information and descriptions that you can. Do not attempt to chase down the vehicle yourself because you may be putting your life at risk. Your life is more important than your car! If you have Vyncs GPS tracking device, you can immediately start tracking your vehicle and notify the police of the thief’s location, and they can help you get your car back.

Add Vyncs to your car. Sync it with your life. Get your car back in no time!