In today’s world, it’s important to take every precaution possible to stay safe. One simple step you can take towards keeping yourself and your belongings safe is to always lock your car doors. It may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people leave their car doors unlocked, especially in busy or public areas. By taking the time to lock your doors, you’re deterring would-be thieves and criminals from being able to easily access your car.
Lock Your Car at All Times
Statistics show that 9 out of every 10 burglarized vehicles were unlocked at the time of the crime. Locking up your car is the simplest and easiest way to keep yourself and your valuables safe. Even when you’re still in your car, or if you’re just running into a store for a quick errand, take the extra few seconds to lock your doors. It could be the difference between coming back to your car safe and sound or being the victim of a break-in.
Never leave your car running while you’re away from the vehicle. Stealing an unlocked, running vehicle is as easy as climbing into the driver’s seat and putting it into gear. Especially if you own a model of car that’s more likely to be stolen, you want to be sure you’re taking every precaution possible. Keep your windows up, your key out of the ignition, and your doors locked, and you’ll be well on your way to total car safety.
Hide Your Valuables
If a thief can see your valuables, they’re more likely to break into your car. Even if your car is locked, a thief may be able to break a window and grab your things. Hiding your valuables helps to keep them out of sight and makes it more difficult for a thief to grab them and run. Some ideas for where you can stash them include:
In the trunk. This is one of the most obvious places to hide your things, but it’s also one of the most effective. A thief is less likely to break into a car if they can’t see what’s inside, and trunks are often more difficult for a thief to get into than the cabs of vehicles.
Under the seats. Especially if you have a sedan or SUV, you can usually tuck things under the seats out of sight. This is a great option if you have smaller items that you don’t want to put in the trunk.
In a bag or purse. If you have a bag or purse that you can put your valuables in, do it! A bag is a much less appealing target than, for example, a laptop or a pair of expensive sunglasses. Bags should still be placed out of sight if possible, such as under a blanket or towel, but even having this layer of protection is often enough.
In the glove box. Small items can easily be tucked away in the glove compartment, but be careful! Surprising items stolen from vehicles include registration papers and even owners manuals, and the glove box will be the first place a thief will look for these documents.
There are a variety of other ways you can hide your valuables, but these are just a few of the most popular options. Get creative! The important thing is to take a few minutes to hide your things before you leave your car.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Choosing the right parking spot is another important consideration to keep your vehicle safe. Ideally, your spot will be somewhere visible from a window of your home, your office, or the store you’re stopping in, but of course this isn’t always possible. If it’s not, check for signs denoting security cameras and do your best to park around those. Cameras are an excellent deterrent against those looking to break into a car.
At night, it’s incredibly important to park in well-lit areas around other vehicles. An isolated car in a dark spot is an excellent target. With other vehicles around, the chances for your car to be chosen by a thief are lower and the chances for someone else to happen upon that thief at work are higher. There’s strength in numbers.
Also be sure to check who and what is around you when getting into and out of your vehicle. If you see anything suspicious, or anything that makes you uncomfortable in any way, keep the doors locked and move to a location that feels safe.
Safety doesn’t have to be complicated. By taking these simple steps, your car and your valuables are less likely to be targeted and more likely to be how you left them when you get back. But if your locked car doors are causing an issue for you, be sure to take advantage of the expert automotive locksmithing services from Pop-A-Lock!
