Keeping your Car Safe From Thieves and Vandals

Wondering how to make your car secure but don’t want to spend 400 plus dollars for a top of the line alarm system? Here are a few tips to reduce your risk of vehicle theft or vandalism--without breaking the bank!

Tip 1: Get a simple alarm system. Your basic system will cost about $149.00 dollars (plus installation) and can be found even cheaper if you look for specials or closeouts. This will at least put a shock sensor on your car and a siren that will definitely scare most novice criminals out of their wits.
Tip 2: Buy a steering wheel lock device. These usually lock with a key, keep the wheel from turning and are compact enough to fit in between or under your seats. Unless a would-be thief wants to take your entire steering wheel off and try to put another on, this will usually stop car theft dead in its tracks. Wheel lock devices are also cheap (in the neighborhood of 29
dollars at your local auto parts store), simple to use and easily seen, providing a good measure of deterrence. Nine times out of ten, they are spotted by the would-be offender who will simply choose to walk away without giving your car a second look.
Tip 3: Leave the outside lights near your automobile on at all times during the night. Most homes usually have a porch light in close proximity to the driveway where your car is located.
Many criminals will be at least a bit more wary of trying to break into (or steal) your car with a light right on top of them. Also, for good measure leave your back porch light on as well, especially if your back yard is not fenced in. This lets others know that you are keeping an eye on things and inhibits random lurking on your property.
Tip 4: If you have a garage, use it. But make sure your garage is locked. A garage is only useful in this regard if the perpetrator can’t easily get into it while no one is home.
Tip 5: This is probably the easiest and most overlooked way to protect your vehicle. Lock your doors! It’s simply harder and more troublesome for a thief to get into your car if they have to break a window to open the door.
Follow these simple tips and, at the very least, you should reduce the opportunity a passer-by criminal may have for an easy score.