H.E.A.T. Offers Tips To Deter Car Thieves

Securing a vehicle is one of the many musts that a car owner should do in order to protect their investments.  As summer progresses, trends show that there will be more vehicles stolen this season as compared to the other months of the year. H.E.A.T. or the Help Eliminate Auto Thefts offers tips to car owners on how to protect their vehicles.

According to the organization, warm weather during the summer months may lead to carelessness on the part of motorists in securing their vehicles.  This will, of course, open a window for thieves to steal their vehicle.  This month is the National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month and H.E.A.T.’s tips could not come at a better time. 

As July progresses, we are approaching the month when the highest number of auto thefts happens compared to other months.  This is according to the Auto Theft Prevention Authority.

This is backed up by Col. Peter C. Munoz, the director of the Michigan State Police, saying:  “Michigan typically experiences the most auto thefts in August, and nationally, the most auto thefts occur in July.  It is important to practice auto theft prevention throughout the summer, whether at home or on vacation.”

“While the summer months mean vacations and cook-outs with family and friends, they also bring car thieves looking to steal exposed property and vehicles,” said Terri Miller, the director of H.E.A.T.  “It is important that people keep their guard high by rolling up their windows, locking their doors and putting car tops up, even when running a quick errand,” Miller added.

One of the tips offered by H.E.A.T. is to completely close a vehicles window even if you are leaving your vehicle only for a short span of time.  An open or ‘cracked’ window is an open invitation to car thieves.  This can lead not only to your vehicle being stolen but your car may be the subject of ‘mutilation’ as the current trend in car theft is sometime called.  Thieves basically do not steal the whole car but some metal parts only to be sold to junk shops according to the trend observed by authorities.  Even a VW PIAA bulb can be stolen from a vehicle by a desperate thief.

Another tip offered by the organization is to keep your personal belongings out of sight. iPods, mobile phones and other valuable things should be hidden inside the car properly in order to avoid catching the interest of car thieves. 

As for convertible owners, H.E.A.T. advises them to close and lock the top of their vehicle.  Consumers can also consider having a mechanic install a kill switch which would protect the vehicle from being started by a thief. It should be well hidden and should be done by a licensed mechanic since installing a kill switch can also cause problems if not properly done.

Car owners can also consider VIN etching. In this process, the Vehicle Identification Number will be etched into the glass surfaces of a vehicle.  A knowledgeable car thief would avoid vehicles with VIN etchings since reselling the vehicle would mean they would have to replace the windows. This is because thieves fake the VIN of the vehicles they have stolen before they were sold as second-hand cars.

These tips are easy enough to understand and by following them, car owners can properly protect their investments not only during the summer season but throughout its life as well.