WESTWOOD, Mass., -- October is Fall Car Care Month and in addition to getting your car tuned up and ready for winter, LoJack Corporation recommends that consumers also take important measures to protect their vehicles from theft. With more than 1.2 million vehicles stolen in 2005 (representing a loss of $7.6 billion*), it is critical that consumers do everything possible to protect their vehicles from today's sophisticated thieves.
"While today's thieves do like luxury cars, they're primarily after the more popular models, such as Hondas, Toyotas, and a variety of pickup trucks," said Richard T. Riley, LoJack's President and COO. "These in-demand vehicles can be stripped down in less than 30 minutes and sold for parts or shipped abroad. That means car owners need to take extra measures to protect their vehicles from these sophisticated criminals -- during the month of October and all year round. To that end, LoJack offers consumers a wealth of theft prevention information in its Knowledge Center for Vehicle Security, located on our website."
What Can You Do to Keep Your Vehicle Safe?
While the bad news is that today's thieves are good at their craft, making vehicles highly vulnerable to theft, the good news is that by combining common sense approaches, theft prevention devices and tracking/recovery systems, you can protect your vehicle from theft.
The first important step: use common sense measures. Never leave keys in the car with the engine running. Don't hide a spare key in the vehicle. Close all windows and lock all doors when leaving your vehicle. Park in a well-lit area and, when at home, keep your car in the garage. Don't leave valuables visible in your car that will only entice thieves to break in.
The second step: use theft prevention products. A thief is less inclined to steal your car if it has visible and audible warning devices like a wheel lock or alarm system. Immobilizers -- which include smart keys, kill switches and fuel cut-off devices -- offer another means of protection.
The third step: have a tracking and recovery system. Since thieves can typically get around most theft prevention devices, these systems provide the peace of mind that you'll get your car back -- often quickly -- in the event it is stolen. The most effective systems are directly integrated into law enforcement, use radio frequency technology, which has proven to be optimal for recovering stolen cars and motorcycles, and are covert so they cannot be disengaged.
Remember, the best theft protection is a combination of common sense, audible or visual alarms and a recovery system that will get your vehicle back if it is ever stolen.
LoJack's Knowledge Center for Vehicle Security: An Education Destination
To provide a wide scope of valuable educational information about theft and theft prevention, LoJack offers its "Knowledge Center for Vehicle Security" on its website. The area features a variety of educational booklets, including: "Street Smarts," geared for drivers of any age; "Teen Smarts," designed specifically for teens/parents of teens; "Bike Smarts," for motorcycle enthusiasts; and "Site Smarts," which addresses the problem of construction equipment theft. All of the booklets are available for downloading. Along with the booklets, the Knowledge Center for Vehicle Security provides Fast Facts, Surveys, Studies & Stats, and Tips & Tools.
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