It’s your baby!

But what have you done to protect it from all the bad guys who might be after it?

It turns out even simple little things, like stickers, window etching, or taking the manual

out of it can help!

1.

Don't attract thieves

In many cases, it's not the car the thieves are after.

It's that shiny new laptop you dropped at the front seat (because you're only out for

a minute, right?).

Or maybe your designer purse that looks like it's stuffed full with valuables.

Things like that are hard to resist, and often lead to a break-in.

So take an extra moment to hide your belongings in the trunk, and your vehicle will be less

tempting for criminals.

2.

If you like it then you should have put a sticker on it

One thing car thieves don't like is getting caught.

Another thing they aren't big fans of is a rear window sticker that informs there is

an alarm or tracking system installed.

They know it might not be true, but chances are they won't want to check it.

3.

Mark it You don't have to put a leopard print on your

vehicle, but you can get its ID number engraved on each of the windows and light covers.

Replacing the glasses to sell the car will cost them extra money, and thieves aren't

enthusiastic about it.

You can also play spy and leave marks on different parts of the car with an invisible pen, or

cover it in micro dots with your ID details.

This won't stop thieves but will make it way easier to track the vehicle if it gets stolen.

4.

Don’t leave the engine running.

Believe me, it only takes a moment for a car to be stolen.

It could be that very moment you left it to grab a coffee at a gas station.

Or that time you started the engine on a cold winter morning and went back inside to read

your morning paper in the warmth of your house.

Hey my car was here just a minute ago….

Speaking of your house … 5.

Remember there is no such thing as totally safe

Even if you live in a calm neighborhood with respectable adults around, bad guys can get

in there, unless there are guards at the entrance to the block.

So when you park by your front door after a hard day at work, you still have to lock

your vehicle.

In fact, double check if you did.

Thieves cruise neighborhoods at night in search of unlocked cars.

You don't want them to be lucky, right?

6.

Keep those windows closed, too.

If they can stick one finger inside, criminals will rock their way in to go further and get

the door unlocked from the inside.

So make it a ritual before your leave to check if your windows are closed, too, not just

doors.

7.

Always keep an “eye” on your keys.

(No, not literally – that would be creepy.

[eyeball hang on the keychain]) Are you hiding them somewhere under your car

not to get locked out some day?

Criminals know about this little trick just like they know about your house keys under

the door mat.

Uh huh.

A handbag on a coffeeshop chair, the stairs or a little table by the front door of your

house aren't the perfect place for your keys either.

8.

Park in the right places Don’t leave your four-wheeled friend in

a dark neighborhood with a bad reputation and no security cameras.

Aim for a well-lit area and try to get as close to business entrances as you can.

Those places always have security cams.

A parking garage is not the worst option, but if it’s isolated, you’re putting yourself

at risk.

Again, try to stay close to a security cam to discourage those bad guys.

9.

Watch how you park it

When you park your car, always use emergency brake and lock the steering wheel.

Make sure there is some obstacle, like a wall or curb in front of the vehicle.

It will give thieves a much harder time trying to tow away your property.

This is especially powerful on an incline.

Do you park car this way?

Let me know in the comment section below.

10.

Be careful with public parking lots

It comes in handy to leave your vehicle as you go shopping, watch a game of sports or

fly away (with or without a plane), but public parking lots are all thieves' favorite.

Because they are open to the general public, anyone can wander around picking the car they

like and checking if it has any security measures.

So be extra careful when you must park there and try to find a spot closest to the building

entrance and under a security cam.

11.

Don't try to overhide your car

So you've found a perfect dark isolated spot for your ride in the parking garage of your

apartment complex, thinking it's safe because no one will find it.

Well, thieves will!

And they're going to love it.

Isolation means less attention to them, as well.

And since they're smart and usually get in there at night, chances are no one will interrupt

them at all.

And if someone does walk in there, they'll hear it and have enough time to disappear.

12.

Don’t ignore physical extra precautions

A lot of insurance companies offer good deals to car owners that care to install physical

anti-theft devices.

They know bad guys will think twice and most likely decide not to try breaking into a well-protected

vehicle.

There are all sorts of locks: a steering wheel lock also known as the club, tire lock (this

one is often used by the police on improperly parked vehicles), and hood locks.

A baby monitor with night vision and audio can also scare away criminals.

And if not, you'll have perfect proof they were there.

Car alarm also works as an excellent thief-deterrant with its loud sound.

13.

Don’t leave your vehicle registration inside

Leaving your vehicle registration in the car is like giving carte blanche to criminals.

They can easily present it to police officers when stopped.

And your insurance information and VIN can help them get new keys made to unlock the

car no problem.

If you aren’t the only person using the car, find some secret place to hide the registration

and only tell your closest buds about it.

14.

Your car manual doesn’t belong there either

It’s not the instructions on how to work that machine the thieves are after.

It’s the secret valet key you might even not know about.

You can normally find it in the back of the manual or pop it out of a plastic insert.

And you can unlock the driver’s door and even start the vehicle with it!

15.

Take extra care if you have an older car.

Thieves do love luxury sports cars, but they will often aim for an older ride just because

it's way easier to steal.

Cars manufactured more than 20 years ago have an ignition system that's really easy to crack

if you know how to do it.

So if you're a vintage fan, add some physical protection to your favorite set of wheels.

16.

There is no such thing as «unwanted» car Thieves steal cars of different makes and

even colors for different jobs.

An anonymous-looking white van, for example, is perfect for transporting stolen things.

Some cars are stolen for older hard-to-find details, others – for their super powerful

engines.

17.

Spice up your life

If your ride is particularly desirable to thieves and hard to get, they can start spying

on you to figure out the best time to get it.

So if you start your engine every day at 8, then stop at the same coffee shop and drive

away to your office on the same route, you might be helping them plan a crime.

They could plot an attack when they find the weakest link of this logical sequence.

So shuffle things up a bit.

18.

Install a tracking system If your car isn't equipped with it, get it

a GPS tracker.

It might not prevent the worst from happening, but it will be super helpful at locating your

ride if it gets stolen.

Or there’s my personal favorite.

You can forget about all 18 of these ideas if you simply take public transit.

No worries.

Okay that’s too simple.

Alternatively, you can choose to drive a really well maintained pre-owned car that looks like

junk from the outside.

Highly likely it’ll be there the next morning.

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