5 Tips To Prevent Your Car From Being Stolen

In 2023, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) sounded the alarm on the rising incidence of car theft in the United States. Citing that over a million Americans became victims of car theft in 2022 alone, the NICB cautions that this is the first time it has happened in over a decade. In fact, the NICB also shared that the state of Illinois even experienced a whopping 35% increase in reports in the same year.

Despite car manufacturers always trying to innovate new features designed to improve our driving experience, including ones to keep us safe, there will always be bad actors who will try to exploit them. For example, reports of thieves using side headlights to access a car's Controller Area Network (CAN) came about in 2023. The CAN controls several modern electronic car features, like parking assist, self-diagnostics, and, of course, the important feature of being able to unlock your vehicle.

Because most of the stolen motor vehicles in America are composed of passenger vehicles, it's only natural that car owners are racking their brains about all the ways that they can keep their cars safe. Unfortunately, whether it is due to the ease of hot wiring, how hot the demand is in the resale market, or how expensive its parts are, some cars are just more likely to get stolen than others. So, if you own a car model that thieves like to target, here are some tips that you can follow to keep it from going missing.

One of the most straightforward ways to prevent your car from being stolen is to lock your doors. Locking doors should be a standard safety practice for everyone from the moment you enter your car to when you leave. 

While some cars will have a feature that automatically locks doors, including apps to support it, it's still a good idea to make it a habit to check regularly. After all, you may own several cars, including some that don't have this feature. By leaving car doors unlocked, you not only put your car at risk of being stolen but also put your life in danger when driving.

Aside from doors, another potential entry point that thieves can use to enter your car is your windows. Although some of us may appreciate fresh air during a road trip, it can be easy to forget to close it when you're back in dense areas like the city, where crime is more likely to happen.

These days, there are many tools that thieves can use to break car windows, such as claw hammers. However, breaking your windows can be easier if there is already an existing crack that is affecting its structural integrity. So, while it's possible to use super glue on cracked windshields, this should only be a temporary fix, and it's still recommended to go to an auto glass specialist to repair it properly to avoid trouble.

It is also a good idea to make sure that you never leave your car key in the ignition, even if you're only planning to step out for a short period. After all, it only takes a few seconds for a potential car thief to jump into your vehicle, start the engine, and drive away. Because of this, it's recommended to turn your car off completely and always bring your keys with you when you need to step out of your vehicle.

If you do find your car keys stuck in the ignition, it's likely just an issue with the car settings. So, if you're having trouble removing it, check if your selector is in park mode, the ignition is turned off all the way, or if the steering wheel is properly set at the center. Drivers of cars with automatic transmissions can also try to jiggle the gear selector or their keys; just make sure to do it gently to avoid accidentally damaging the keys or the car.

Although the average person probably won't be able to unlock your car with a similar remote, it may be possible for enterprising thieves who may have acquired black market technology to do so. Unfortunately, with the rise of digital car keys, so do the potential risks that come with them.

When possible, always opt for closed garages or paid parking areas where there are attendants. In addition, parking in a well-lighted area always beats parking in dark or dim areas. Should there be no paid parking garages near you, the next place you should aim to park is near businesses that store high-value items, like banks, that will likely have security cameras in constant operation. Alternatively, some buildings will have 24/7 security, who you may be able to refer to as a witness.

Aside from where you park your car, when you park can also impact the likelihood of car theft. In an analysis of FBI data, Value Penguin shares that the hour after midnight is when the most number of motor vehicle thefts occur. However, it's important to note that the number of thefts drops significantly after 1 a.m., and almost a quarter of motor vehicle thefts occur in the p.m. hours.

If you suspect your home parking is at risk, there are also ways to introduce deterrents inside your garage. For example, you can install garage alarm systems and camera systems or even remove the garage door, so they will need another remote to open it. Lastly, if you own an expensive classic car that you don't take out that often, you can take it to another level by blocking your car's path with objects or removing a few things from under your car's hood to make sure it doesn't start properly.

In some cases, what's in your car can be just as valuable as the car itself. For many of us who use our cars daily, we can sometimes leave things like expensive gadgets, bags, or shoes in the car. Unfortunately, while insurance companies tend to cover any damages to your car during a break-in, they will likely not cover the value of the items stolen inside of it. 

While it should be a general practice not to leave expensive things unattended, even inside your own vehicle, there are times when it can't be prevented. If you do find yourself having to leave valuables in your car, you should at least make an effort to hide them skillfully. 

For example, instead of just leaving your bag out in the open on top of a car seat, you can store it in the trunk of your car, behind cleaning materials, or other unassuming objects. You can even tuck thin items, like laptops or tablets, under the seat, where thieves can't see them easily.

For smaller items, you can also buy storage options designed specifically to conceal. Typically, these come in the form of soda cans, sunblock containers, water bottles, or other ordinary-looking, everyday items with hidden compartments.

If you live in an area prone to theft, it might make sense to rely not just on your various strategies but also invest in actual anti-car theft devices. For example, the rise in TikTok-fueled car thefts led car manufacturers Hyundai and Kia to offer free steering wheel locks for car owners who own the affected models in 2023. 

At the time, the targeted cars were 20 times more likely to be stolen, so aside from the steering wheel locks, the manufacturers also introduced software updates as well as window stickers informing thieves that their cars had additional anti-theft mechanisms.

Depending on how often you use your car or where it is usually stored, you can also invest in brake pedal locks, remote battery kill switches, and wheel clamps. Not to mention, having a dashboard camera or dash cam can also put off potential thieves, especially if their goal is simply to take things from inside the car.

Aside from this, you may also want to include a GPS tracker in your list, which you can use to increase the chances of retrieving your car in the event that it's stolen. Alternatively, the NYPD has also recommended that drivers put AirTags in their cars, sharing that it can be a useful tool for car theft investigations.