If auto theft has never happened to you, someone in your family, or your friends it does not mean that you are immune from it. Do you remember the movie Gone in 60 Seconds? Well, maybe not everybody is as quick and professional as those movie characters, but it is reported in the U.S. that a motor vehicle is stolen every 25-28 seconds.

You might be one of those people who think your auto is too old and trashy for thieves to even bother considering it, but in fact, older vehicles are stolen as often as or even more often than newer ones! Thieves like older cars because it is easier to resell them, and, they can be stripped for parts which (calculated separately) have more value than a complete vehicle.

If you look at the list of the top 10 most stolen vehicles in 2007 there will is only one new car, the 2007 Toyota Corolla, and it takes the 10th position! The other 9 are:

1.    1995 Honda Civic
2.    1991 Honda Accord
3.    1989 Toyota Camry
4.    1997 Ford F-150 Series Pickup
5.    1994 Chevrolet C/K 1500 Pickup
6.    1994 Acura Integra
7.    2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
8.    1994 Nissan Sentra
9.    1988 Toyota Pickup

Car thefts mostly commonly occur at big parking lots where many vehicles are grouped for a long period of time.  Such places include: sporting events, shopping centers, movie complexes, colleges, schools, restaurants and large apartment complexes.

Here are some tips following which you can protect your auto from being stolen:

•    Before leaving the car unattended make sure the keys are with you, close all windows and lock all the doors. Every fourth car stolen in Florida had the keys inside! Overall in the U.S., 20% of drivers leave the keys somewhere inside the car, and on average about 50% of vehicles are left unlocked.
•    Do not hide a second key in the car. If thieves know their business they are aware of those hiding places and can easily find the key.
•    If you have to go somewhere after dark, find a well-lit area for parking. Over half of auto thefts happen at night.
•    Never leave the car running. First of all, in some states it is violation of the law to do so. Secondly, a running vehicle is the easiest target for thieves.  Many vehicles have been stolen at gas stations, ATMs, pharmacies, convenience stores and other such places. Some drivers like to start the car on a cold morning and go finish their morning activities while waiting for the car to warm up. In this case, do not be surprised if the vehicle disappears from your own driveway.
•    Valuables in plain view attract criminals. Every tenth car in a public parking lot has important things on the seats such as personal papers, bills or bank documents. Twelve percent of those cars have more than $400 worth of valuables just lying on their seats.
•    Keep the vehicle title and registration away from the car. The title should be filed at home and the registration should stay in your wallet or purse. If you share the vehicle with someone else, make a copy of the registration and let them carry it in their wallet. It is easier for a car thief to resell the auto if he has both the registration and the title for the car.
•    Modern cars usually come with some kind of protection system from the manufacturer. The dealer can even offer you an update on them. The best security systems are those that shut off the fuel supply. In this case the car cannot be started and driven.
•    Alarms are also good because loud sounds attract other people and will let you know that something is going on. In addition various sensors can be installed for glass breakage, motion, towing, etc. A security company can also offer panic buttons, flashing parking lights or headlights and back-up batteries.
•    You can protect the car from being stripped to parts by having the vehicle identification number (VIN) etched on the windows, doors and other parts. In this case you also make it easier for the police to identify your automobile if it ever gets stolen.

Joe Smith