Car Prowl/Car Theft
You are more likely to be a victim of a vehicle crime than any other
crime. Car theft is the nation's number one property crime, costing
an estimated $7.8 billion per year.
Top Reasons Cars are Stolen
- For commercial operations like “chop shops.”
- For joyriding, often by juveniles.
- For use in another crime.
- In exchange for narcotics.
- By the owners who give permission for their cars to be stolen to commit insurance fraud.
Washington State's Most Stolen Vehicles in 2009:
1. 1992 Honda Accord
2. 1995 Honda Civic
3. 1990 Toyota Camry
4. 1995 Acura Integra
5. 1994 Nissan Sentra
6. 1995 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
7. 1994 Saturn Sl
8. 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
9. 1994 Ford Explorer
10. 1993 Dodge Caravan
Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau, 2009
Prevention and Deterrence… Your Best Defense
Step 1: Common Sense Approaches
Use these common sense approaches - locking you car and keeping
valuables out of site - when leaving your car unattended.
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- When you exit or enter your parked vehicle, stop and take a look around the area.
- Never leave your car idling - not even for a moment.
- Before leaving your parked car, always remove the keys, roll up the windows and lock the car.
- Remove all items from the car or hide them from view. This includes:
- Cell phones
- Electronic equipment: GPS navigation system, ipod
- Purse and/or wallet
- Shopping bags or merchandise
- Sporting equipment
- Make a habit of locking your garage door and car doors.
- If possible, store your car in a closed and locked garage.
- If your car is stored in a carport or parked near your house, leave your exterior lights on throughout the night.
- If you park on the street, choose a well-lit, open space even if it means adding additional street/yard lighting & trimming back trees/bushes that block your view of your vehicle.
- Consider replacing the light fixture closest to your car with a motion detector unit. Motion detectors are a good psychological deterrents since the normal assumption of a person seeing a light come on is that someone has seen them. Additionally, the light makes the prowler or thief more visible.
Step 2: Visible or Audible Device
Vehicle alarms might be annoying, but they are an effective way to prevent your vehicle from being broken into or stolen.
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The most common devices are:
- Audible alarm systems
- Steering wheel locks
- Steering column collars
- Wheel locks
Step 3: Vehicle Immobilizer
Thieves can bypass your ignition by “hotwiring” your vehicle. Put the heat on would-be thieves by installing one of these devices:
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- Smart keys with computer chips to start the vehicle
- Fuse cut-offs
- Kill switches
- Starter, ignition and fuel disablers
Step 4: Tracking System
The best way to protect your vehicle is through a tracking system that emits a signal to the police or a monitoring service when the vehicle is stolen. Oftentimes, your vehicle can be recovered faster and with less damage.