Thieves Want to Steal Your Car, Heres How to Prevent It

For most of us, motor vehicles are the primary mode of transportation. They’re an expensive investment that have become essential towards our everyday lives. However, 800,000 motor vehicles are stolen in the US each year, costing vehicle owners more than $7 billion dollars in crime reparations. Therefore, NHTSA spreads awareness and knowledge on how to prevent vehicle theft during their July campaign – National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month. 

Summers have been found to be the worst season for vehicle theft, amounting to a total of 804K vehicles stolen in 2020 with a vehicle stolen every 39 seconds. Passenger cars are the most commonly stolen vehicles, making up 74% of this theft. The thing people don’t like to hear is that about half of these thefts were due to driver error: leaving the key in the vehicle, not closing, and locking all windows and doors when parking, parking in dark or hidden areas, and leaving visible valuables in the vehicle. It’s always important to lock your car even if all valuables are removed because thieves want anything that will sell including vehicle parts like doors, engines, air bags, radios, GPS, etc. 

To increase the protection of your vehicle there are additional antitheft systems and devices that can make your vehicle harder to steal or easier to track and recover. These include audible and visible devices like deterring horns, immobilizing-type devices that prevent hot-wiring, and vehicle recovery systems that can track a stolen vehicle.

If you do find yourself as a victim of theft, follow these steps:

1. Contact police immediately to file a stolen vehicle report.
2. Contact your insurance company to file a claim within 24 hours.
3. Contact police if you find your car before they do.

To learn more about vehicle theft prevention or what to do if you find that your car is stolen or missing, please visit: https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/vehicle-theft-prevention. 

DII is your partner in vehicle safety. Our team of experts can work with you to understand the best ways to prevent theft of your vehicle. Please contact your DII representative for more information.  #VehicleTheft