Lock it up, take away the keys

Common sense is the key to auto security

The first rule of automotive security is both the most essential and easiest one to follow, namely, “Lock the doors and take the keys.”

And yet, the most recent FBI auto theft statistics indicate a staggering 57,096 U.S. motorists had their vehicles stolen during 2015 because they left them unlocked and with the keys remaining in the ignition or a keyless-start fob sitting in a cupholder or cubby. Might as well stick a big “Take me” banner in the back window and park the car in the busiest intersection in town.

That’s a 22 percent increase in what should be the nation’s most embarrassed drivers, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) in Des Plaines, Illinois. It also means a red-faced car owner is getting his or her comeuppance somewhere in the nation an average of once every six and one half minutes. At that, given that many motorists fail to fess up to such wanton carelessness in police reports, law enforcement officials suggest the actual number could well be higher.

“Anti-theft technology has had a tremendous impact on reducing thefts over the past 25 years, but if you don’t lock it up, it’s not going to help,” says Joe Wehrle, NICB president and CEO. “Complacency can lead to a huge financial loss and inconvenience for the vehicle owner.”

What’s more, the NICB warns that giving criminals easy access to one’s car or truck can lead to more than just a stolen vehicle, especially if one’s personal registration information is ripe for the taking in the glove compartment or stuffed under a sun visor. “We have reports from our law enforcement partners that car thieves have stolen the car, driven it to the residence and burglarized the home before the owner even knew the vehicle was missing,” Wehrle says.

For those keeping score, the five states that registered the most vehicle thefts with keys left inside during 2015 are California (22,580), Texas (11,003), Florida (9,952), Ohio (8,623), and Nevada (8,073). Only one state — Hawaii — had a perfect record in this regard, reporting zero vehicle thefts with keys inside.

And though it may seem painfully obvious to many (but apparently not painful enough to some), your best protection against vehicle thefts, according to the NICB, is to:

• Lock the vehicle, set the alarm, and take all keys or key fobs.

• Keep the windows and sunroof closed, and don’t hide a spare key where a crook might find it.

• Avoid leaving the garage door opener, your cell phone, or other personal possessions within the vehicle.

• Never leave packages or other valuable items in plain sight within the vehicle.

• Take a picture of your registration on your cell phone and do not leave the registration or other papers with personal information in the vehicle.

• Never leave a car running to warm it up or while stopping for a quick cup of coffee. It only takes a moment for the opportunistic thief to break a

window (assuming it’s locked in the first place) jump inside, and drive off.

• If you have a garage, park inside of it and not out on the driveway; if you park in public, choose a welllit spot, turn your wheels toward the curb and engage the emergency brake to make it more difficult to be towed.

• Use an anti-theft device. The latest high-tech security systems can alert owners remotely via text messaging if someone is tempering with your vehicle. At the least, have a simple ignition “kill switch” installed in a hidden location to make it more difficult for a crook to start a car or truck and drive it away.