Tip of the Week - July 10, 2018 - Ways to Help Prevent Car Theft

July is “National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month” according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and with a vehicle stolen every 41 seconds in this country, there’s good reason.  Add to that, this fact, California leads all states in vehicle thefts and that should be enough for all of us to take notice and take steps to stop it.

“The hi-tech way of stealing cars now involves your key fob,” said CSLEA Foundation Chair Kenny Ehrman.  “While the industries catch up to provide more security, some security experts are suggesting that we wrap our car key fobs in foil or a small Faraday bag to shield the signals they send out. Thieves uses devices that enable them to enter our vehicles using the signals sent from our key fobs.  So essentially you could be sitting in your office, a thief can steal the signal from your fob in your purse or pocket and take off with your vehicle without you even being aware of it.”

In addition to “shielding” your fob:

·   Take your vehicle's key or fob in or on your vehicle.

·   Close and lock all windows and doors when you park.

·   Park in well-lit areas if possible.

·   Never leave valuables in your vehicle, especially if they can be seen from outside the vehicle.

·   Use a steering wheel lock.

·   Install an alarm.

·   Install an immobilizing device.

·   Install a vehicle recovery device.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates the value of vehicles stolen in 2016 was nearly $6 million, up nearly a billion from the year before.