The First 48 Hours after a vehicle theft make a huge difference. More than 700,000 vehicles are stolen across the U.S. each year. This equates to more than one vehicle theft each minute, of every day of the year. Incredibly, the value of these thefts totaled more than $6 billion dollars in 2018. For the thieves, it’s big business. So, how do you protect your vehicles?
Much like the well known TV-trope of crime shows like CSI or Law and Order, the more time that goes by after a crime is committed, the more difficult it can be to solve. While these shows might be more fiction than fact, there is one thing they’ve gotten right. Your chances of recovering kidnap victims or stolen goods are infinitely better the sooner you react.
There are however a few things you can do to reduce, or even eliminate your risk of falling victim to vehicle theft. By following these simple, yet important tips, you can give yourself peace of mind.
Avoid making your vehicle a target
Whenever possible, park in well-lit areas or inside a garage. Ensure that you always take your keys with you, and that you don’t forget to lock all the doors and close your windows.
Before leaving your vehicle, take a moment and have a quick look around. Do you see any valuable items on the seats or in the trunk? If you can’t take them with you, make sure they’re not plainly visible from the outside of the vehicle.
Warm-up theft. During the winter months, don’t leave your vehicle unattended while the engine is running and the heat is on. While this might seem like a great way to start your day in a warm car, it makes your vehicle an instant target for awaiting thieves.
Secure your vehicle
Whether it be through physical security (ex. steering wheel bar, wheel locks, etc.), an audible alarm, or anything else, the objective is to slow a thief down or dissuade them from attempting the theft in the first place. This is your first layer of protection.
Going further down the rabbit hole, you can begin to think about means of keeping tabs on your vehicle. Easy to conceal location devices like Invoxia’s Cellular GPS Tracker give you an extra edge. You will be alerted the second someone begins to tamper with your vehicle and you will be able to follow its every movement. This information can be invaluable for the police. Thieves won’t know where to look, and even if they find the tracker its nondescript design doesn’t give anything away to the uninformed.
Be prepared and react quickly
The quicker you react, the better your chances of recovering your vehicle. Only 60% of cars and 30% of motorcycles are ever recovered. Alerting the police early on and providing them with the information they need is essential.
Preparation is everything.
When you finish reading this article, take 5 minutes to prepare. Photograph your vehicle and note down any unique characteristics: the license plate number, make, model and color as well as the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Keep this information in a safe place should you ever need to communicate with the police. We hope you will never need to, but it’s better to have it than not.
Ready to go the extra mile?
Give yourself a foolproof way to quickly locate a missing vehicle. Be safe, and keep your vehicle in your hands. If you’d like to read more about how Invoxia can help keep your vehicle safe, why not hear from one of our customers. Thanks to an Invoxia GPS Tracker Christophe recovered his scooter in record time!
Do you have a story to share?
Whether you’re like Christophe and have already lived through a vehicle theft, or if you’d simply like to avoid the experience all together, Invoxia’s GPS Tracker offers peace of mind. Why don’t you try one now? If you have a story to share about how you found something or someone with one of our trackers, send us an email at marketingteam@invoxia.com or contact us via Facebook or Instagram. We would love to hear from you.
