Anti-Theft Devices For Your Vehicle
In 2005, approximately 1.
2 million automobiles were stolen in the United States.
Thieves use a variety of methods to steal cars, including hot wiring, stealing a person's keys, and carjacking.
While there is no way to make a vehicle completely theft proof, there are a number of devices that can help to prevent theft by making it exceedingly intensive and time consuming.
Below is a list of common anti-theft devices that are widely available to minimize your risk of car theft.
Preventative Devices These products can help to discourage thieves from targeting your vehicle.
The more visible you make an anti-theft device, the less likely a thief is to mess with your car.
Some popular anti-theft devices include:
While these products will generally not help to prevent theft, they can be a great backup to use in combination with a preventative device so that your chances of recovering your car are greater.
Recovery devices include:
If your vehicle is stolen, having comprehensive car insurance coverage may be invaluable, as you can file a claim for your missing vehicle and recover the cost through your insurance company.
2 million automobiles were stolen in the United States.
Thieves use a variety of methods to steal cars, including hot wiring, stealing a person's keys, and carjacking.
While there is no way to make a vehicle completely theft proof, there are a number of devices that can help to prevent theft by making it exceedingly intensive and time consuming.
Below is a list of common anti-theft devices that are widely available to minimize your risk of car theft.
Preventative Devices These products can help to discourage thieves from targeting your vehicle.
The more visible you make an anti-theft device, the less likely a thief is to mess with your car.
Some popular anti-theft devices include:
- Steering wheel lock: These usually consist of a long metal bar that locks onto the steering wheel and prevents the thief from turning the steering wheel.
Without a way to guide the car, thieves are unlikely to get far and will likely choose an easier target. - Wheel locks: These "boots" are often used by police departments and prevent a vehicle from being moved.
- Alarms: Loud noises are an easy way to scare thieves away, as they do not want to attract attention.
- Electronic keys: Vehicles that operate with these types of keys can only be run with the correctly coded key.
Otherwise the vehicle will not start.
While these products will generally not help to prevent theft, they can be a great backup to use in combination with a preventative device so that your chances of recovering your car are greater.
Recovery devices include:
- Electronic tracking devices: These are installed out of sight in a car and allow your car to be tracked in case it is stolen.
Using GPS, your car's current location, and sometimes even the thief's trip, can be communicated to the police. - Kill switch: Some vehicles have a kill switch installed, which needs to be physically switched on to start the vehicle.
These can be hidden anywhere the driver chooses, such as under the seat or in the glove compartment.
Some kill switches can be activated remotely if you report the vehicle as stolen, which will turn the car off immediately wherever it is located. - VIN etching: Your VIN number can be etched on different car parts, which makes it more difficult for a thief to sell your vehicle to a chop shop.
Police can use the VIN number on parts to identify your vehicle even if the original VIN has been removed.
If your vehicle is stolen, having comprehensive car insurance coverage may be invaluable, as you can file a claim for your missing vehicle and recover the cost through your insurance company.
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