Safe in Sixty Seconds: 5 Quick Ways to Secure Your Vehicle

Having a vehicle stolen is every car-owner's worst nightmare. Modern vehicles are a huge part of life nowadays, and when they're gone it can present significant interruptions in your everyday life as well as troubling legal and financial issues. Whilst there's no such thing as "unstealable" car, there are ways to make your very own vehicle extremely tricky to take. Aside from the obvious (and essential) security precautions like switching on car alarm systems, locking the door, and closing every window, there are five very quick things you can do to deter potential thieves from considering your vehicle for theft as soon as you exit the car.

Remain Nameless

As depressing as it may sound, many car thieves will simply nick vehicles to go for a brief joyride before dumping the car somewhere nondescript—especially if the car has a fierce engine and is able to top some rapid speeds. Other criminals, however, are more cunning and malicious. These kinds of crooks won't just steal your car—they'll trawl through every sheet of paper in every pocket or drawer to see what they can find. Many crooks can use your personal details to commit fraud, steal from your home address, and fiddle with your financial expenses. If a certain criminal takes a fancy to your car, don't let yourself become a victim of another crime to boot. Take every sheet of important paper—including anything like driving license documents, bank statements, and letters with your address on—out of the vehicle before you exit. It may not seem like it, but depending on where you're parked, your personal details are much safer with you than they are in your vehicle.

Don't Bother, I'm Alarmed

It's incredibly simple, and it may even seem faintly ridiculous, but slapping a sticker on your vehicle that claims the car is alarmed can actually help to prevent your car from being stolen. Certain car thieves are actually quite intelligent, but even something as simple as a sticker can scare them away. If there's one thing that criminals absolutely hate—it's alarm systems. Car thieves won't necessarily believe the sticker on your vehicle, but it'll certainly make them think twice about taking it. It's human nature. Even if your car doesn't have an operating alarm (which it really ought to), whack the sticker on there anyway. It labels your car as being tough to steal, and that's always a good thing.  

Make It Tricky

When you park up, take note of your surroundings. Who is in the location? Is there lots of natural light? Are there any security cameras in the area? These things can save your vehicle from being stolen. Car thieves detest lights and noise, and by parking down a back alley that's obscured from natural light and public view, you're basically slapping your car with a sticker saying "steal me". Also, when you park up it's a good idea to turn your wheels into the curb or towards another car. Absolutely anything that can delay a thief's getaway will put them off, so it's up to you to make your car as difficult as possible to steal. Turn your wheels, and park up in the right kind of places.

Tip-off Any Nosy Neighbors

Believe it or not, most burglars couldn't care less about smashing a window to get into a vehicle. Sure it'll make a noise, but it's human nature for most people to stop when they hear a loud bang, listen for it again, and if it doesn't repeat itself simply go back to what they were doing. This goes for most people, and car thieves know this all too well. This is why crooks hate nosy neighbors: these residents tend to curiously explore the source of the noise when most others would ignore it. Tipping off any nosy neighbors about leaving your vehicle near their home, or deliberately parking in a place that's extremely busy can actually save your car from being stolen. Thieves always dash at the first sign of trouble or investigation.

Hide-Tech

Leaving any music gadgets, laptops, or mobile phones on show in your car is just asking for trouble. As mentioned previously, many car thieves won't think twice about smashing a single window, so if your hi-tech stuff is on show, then don't expect it to still be there when you get back. Some criminals may grab what they see and run, but others may use these hi-tech items as an invitation to go through the rest of the car to see what other pricey products you have on offer. Don't invite crooks into your car—hide any hi-tech items before you leave the vehicle, or alternatively take them with you. 

For more information, contact Micom Security.

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