Advances in technology Lead to Reduction in Auto Thefts

Have you ever had your car stolen? The United States is experiencing an economic crisis and most people would expect that car thefts would be on the rise because with the unemployment rate being high, many people decide to turn to crime as a way to pay their bills. However, in 2009 there were about 794,000 car thefts and this number dropped by 7.2 percent in 2010. This is a significant drop and shows that maybe the pattern will continue. According to reports, car thefts have gone down a lot in the last decade mostly due to advances in technology. Now, when a person buys a car they are given car keys that have computer chips inside of them. Each car key is different so it is hard to copy a key. Most dealers require that drivers buy an additional new key which can cost more than $200.00.
Most people ignore car alarms when they go off because they are seen as more of a nuisance. Most people do not go running out to see if a car is actually getting stolen when they hear the alarm blaring. This is because most of the time, the alarm sounds because someone accidentally nudged the car or walked by it and brushed up against it. This often happens in grocery and retail store parking lots where the vehicles are parked closely together. A stray shopping cart might accidentally bump the car and activate the alarm or a person might accidentally nudge up against the door with their door as they are getting out of or into their vehicle.
The best safety device that a person can have on their vehicle is an anti-theft device that locks the steering wheel. These devices require a key to unlock them and the bar that goes across the steering wheel is very thick and is not easily penetrated by knives, saws, or other tools. A majority of vehicles are still stolen because the thief has hotwired the car. Unfortunately, older vehicles are still very easy to hotwire. Newer cars that have the car keys that have computer chips are very tough to hot wire because you need the key to operate the vehicle’s computer systems.
Another added feature to vehicles is something called OnStar. Many vehicles now come equipped with OnStar which is a service that helps to locate and track stolen vehicles. If a person has had their car stolen, then they just contact the company’s customer service line and report the vehicle missing. OnStar can use the vehicle’s GPS or global positioning satellite to track down the vehicle. The service also comes equipped with an ignition block which will shut down the vehicle’s ignition so that it no longer works. There is also a way for the service to reach out to law enforcement officers and signal the vehicle to slow down so that they police officers can retrieve it. Many police officers have recovered stolen vehicles by utilizing this service. It has also helped to reduce car insurance premiums for drivers which are an added benefit.
Technology changes all the time and luckily it is helping to reduce automobile thefts. Older vehicles still are more likely to be stolen but in many cases thieves avoid stealing them because their values are low. Now officers in many states are using so called “bait programs” to find car thieves. They conduct sting operations where they place vehicles in highly visible areas and leave the doors unlocked. They then apprehend the perpetrators who are trying to steal the vehicles and get them off the streets. It is a great way to catch car thieves and is a deterrent to crime.
Source: Bloomberg