Every 26 seconds throughout the United States a vehicle is stolen. Vehicle theft is on a decline, but this also means that recovery rates are also declining. There have been more than 700,000 stolen autos that have not been recovered. A lot of times stolen vehicles are exported, reported stolen by owners in a fraudulent manner, or even disassembled in shops around the United States. Over 1,000,000 vehicles have been reported stolen in 2010. A lot of these thefts are on the western parts of the states. Only 13% of these vehicles ended with arrests. Auto theft can be covered when comprehensive coverage is added to the vehicle insurance policy. Carjacking is 3% is accountable for all auto thefts throughout the nation, and occurs the most in urban areas or deeply populated areas. A lot of times the vehicles that are stolen are very expensive, or those that have their doors unlocked or windows down. If there is less challenge to get inside the vehicle, the more susceptible it is to being stolen. Teenagers have been known to leave their vehicles more vulnerable. Making sure to talk to your teen about keeping the vehicle safe is essential. Teaching your teen the tips below to prevent car theft from happening will allow them to keep their vehicle safe from vehicle thefts.

1. Add comprehensive insurance coverage on your vehicle insurance policy that you have to cover the risks of auto theft.
2. Make sure to lock your doors and keep your windows up at all times.
3. Never leave the keys inside your vehicle, even if it is locked. There should not be a key inside the vehicle at all.
4. Do not leave the vehicle unattended and running at all. Even if the doors are locked, or the windows are rolled up, you do not want to leave it running for the shortest time.
5. Make sure all valuables are put out of site inside the vehicle.
6. Do not leave your title in the glove box, or any part of the vehicle. It is very easy to transfer the title from one person to another if they have it.
7. Make sure the seller of a vehicle has the title, and that the names on all of the vehicle match the person who is selling the vehicle. You do not want to purchase a stolen vehicle.
8. When selling your vehicle, make sure that you use caution when letting them test drive the vehicle since they can easily take off with it.
9. Do not leave your vehicle on a private property lot for awhile. This is because the vehicle becomes the property of the owner after a certain amount of time because of laws.
10. Do not leave the vehicle on a corner public lot when you’re trying to advertise that it is for sale. This leaves the vehicle open and vulnerable.
11. Do not loan your vehicle out if you’re unsure if it will come back to you.
12. Do not put something on your keys that can identify you. You do not want the thief to come to your home and steal other items from you.
13. Get a car alarm that sounds off whenever someone enters the vehicle.
14. Place stickers and warnings on the windows of the vehicle to ward off potential carjackers showing that you have an alarm system.
15. Having a killswitch can slow down a thief from stealing a vehicle, and can easily be hidden inside the vehicle.
16. VIN etching will help locate and identify a vehicle easily. Not all vehicles have these however.
17. Always know where all of the car keys are at all times. You do not want to lose a set of them somewhere on accident.
18. If you have valet keys, make sure to use them when giving them to a valet. They will only allow the person to park the vehicle.
19. When giving your vehicle key out make sure to remove all of your other keys. You do not want them using the rest of them at your house or your office.
20. Park in well lit areas.
21. Park in a garage if you have one and keep your garage door down.
22. Park in lots and garages in public areas that have attendants.
23. When parking next to the curb, make sure to turn your wheels towards the curb to make it harder for the thief to tow the car away.
24. When parking make sure to use your parking brake.
25. Replace the T shaped locks on a vehicle with straight locks to make it harder for thieves to break the locks.
26. Report any suspicious activity to the police in the area.
27. Add motion sensor lights around where you park your vehicle. This will deter thieves from coming around.
28. Back your vehicle into your driveway. This way people can see if someone is under the hood trying to hot wire the vehicle.
29. Use tire locks to prevent the vehicle from being driven while you’re not using it.
30. Get a smart key if at all possible that has a special chip that will start the vehicle and unlock the doors without having a traditional key.
31. Auto theft affects the United States, and the affects of it can be devastating for the vehicle owner. The estimated property losses are up around $7.5 billion because of the 1.19 million autos stolen and the average valuation of around $6,649 per vehicle stolen. Making sure to take the proper precautions when it comes to preventing vehicle theft will ensure that you do not lose out on your vehicle, or the items within it. Vehicle theft can happen to anyone, at any time, without any warning.

• Auto Theft Prevention Tips
• RATT Auto Theft Statistics
• Auto Theft Facts and Statistics
• Prevention
• Motor Vehicle Theft
• Colorado Auto Theft Statistics
• Teen Driver Safety
• Staying Safe
• Operation Teen Safe Driving
• 10 Teen Safety Tips
• Driving Safety Tips for Parents
• Teenage Driving Tips
• Teen Driving Safety
• Driver Safety
• Auto Burglary and Theft Prevention
• Alternatives to Audible Alarms
• Help Eliminate Auto Theft
• Auto Theft Division- Theft Prevention

This article is a resource created by Cheap Car Insurance meant to educate and raise awareness on car theft prevention. Sharing is permissible. Please contact us if you have any questions. Get a car insurance quote in your area.