Millions of consumer dollars are lost each year due to auto theft and vandalism. According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report, 1,260,471 autos were stolen in the U.S. in 2003. The is 3,453 cars stolen per day.
Follow these suggestions to reduce chances of auto theft and vandelism:
- Lock your car - always! And take the keys with you.
- Turn your wheels sharply when you park. This will discourage people from towing your car.
- Always park you car in a well-lighted area.
- Use a garage if you have one. Lock both the car and the garage.
- Keep valuables out of plain sight. Items left in plain sight give people a reason to break in.
- Remove facr plates off of non-manufactured compact disc players.
- Consider an anti-theft device for your car. This will discourage a potential thief and possibly save you moneny by allowing a premium credit on your auto insurance.
The recommendations above are certainly not foolproof, but are proven deterrents.