What are the best ways to protect yourself from these thefts?
Why do burglars steal cars?
The thefts are not simply intended to harm the life of its owner but respond well to an external request directed by a real network. So why are some models stolen more than others? We present 5 reasons:
Resale on the European continent:
If your car is stolen, it is undoubtedly for resale in surrounding countries. Modifications will be made there, in particular at the level of the chassis numbers, and the license plate will be replaced. It may prevent you from recognizing her on the street after that. Instead, you may receive news of your old vehicle when the future buyer realizes it is a stolen vehicle.
Repair of a damaged car:
Repairing a car can be very expensive, especially if many spare parts are needed. Therefore, these people decide to repair their cars and change their parts on their own. It involves stealing a vehicle similar to theirs to collect the parts needed to repair the car. Therefore, this practice is profitable for criminals, especially if the price of spare parts for certain cars is high. After use, the car will be abandoned, decomposed, or burned to leave no evidence.
Recovery of spare parts:
Some vehicles are stolen to be resold. Sometimes only certain parts are requested on the market, and only from specific models, such as the Renault Sport. The parts are then resold online, and the car often ends up burned. The resale of these pieces in dribs and drabs is profitable and is more common than you might think.
Sending these cars to Africa or the Maghreb:
Sometimes, passing through customs makes it possible to intercept certain vehicles, but unfortunately, not all of them. The thefts here affect 4×4 or sports cars that will arrive at their destination by boat. If you plan to find your car by GPS tracking, know that a simple wave jammer is enough to make this device unusable.
To carry out offenses (go fast, hold-ups, etc.):
Steal a car to carry out another theft or robbery? It’s a practical way to escape or break windows or doors. Unfortunately, this car will end up burned, rendering it unusable and leaving no footprints. Although some thefts meet a rational and a selfish “need,” there are also people who steal cars for the sole purpose of having fun or to relieve boredom.
How can they steal your car?
In Florida, there are an average of 38,271 car thefts each year. Here are some of the tricks used by thieves:
Car-jacking
This practice is becoming more and more widespread. It consists, for example, in creating a minor accident caused voluntarily by the thief. You get out of the car by reflex, leaving your keys in the ignition to see the damage. Once you are distracted, an accomplice escapes with your vehicle, and the driver flees in turn with his.
Here, the target is not the car but what it contains. Once distracted, the thief points out an anomaly in your car and takes the opportunity to steal your purse and your personal belongings.
Theft by electronic box
This box is not cheap and is very efficient. It is usually used by thieves who have experience stealing used cars. After successfully opening the car doors, the box allows the thief to log into the onboard computer. Once connected, the box will enable you to save a fake boot card. It works on all cars without using the “wires.” This type of car theft remains the most vicious and complex to demonstrate. Indeed, if you manage to find your vehicle, it will be difficult for you to convince your insurance that it was indeed a theft since there will often be no traces of a break-in. Remember to report the theft as soon as it is discovered to the police and your insurance.
What are the solutions to consider to avoid the theft of your car?
Anti-theft alarm
The alarm system can be installed in different places in your vehicle (for example, in the trunk, on the battery, etc.) to ward off burglars and prevent attempted theft. On the other hand, if your alarm is connected to your onboard computer, the thief will quickly disconnect it in a minimum of time. Moreover, this security system is inexpensive: its price is around 30$.
A chip to trace the vehicle
The Tracker GPS anti-theft protection system is a spy GPS tracker that allows you to geolocate your vehicle and track its movement if you quickly realize that your car has just been stolen. Unfortunately, this GPS chip is only installed as standard on high-end cars such as SUVs, sedans, or sports cars such as the Range Rover Evoque, Audi, BMW, Jaguar, which are models sought after by thieves.
The flying block
With theft techniques becoming more sophisticated, the anti-theft bar (or anti-theft cane) is a basic but effective anti-theft system that will deter thieves quickly. Unfortunately, it is not common to see a person walking around with pliers capable of cutting this anti-theft bar.
A piece of advice:
Never leave duplicate keys or vehicle registration documents in the vehicle. With this document, the thief has the possibility of having his name changed on the vehicle registration document thanks to the online vehicle registration service. Indeed, this procedure is no longer possible in the prefecture.
What are the proper steps to take to secure your car?
After an accident, do not leave the car running and leave the car key in the ignition unattended under no circumstances.
- Check that your doors are locked, especially during a temporary absence, even during short trips.
- If you have a garage, park your car inside as much as possible.
- Don’t leave valuables lying around inside your car
- Systematically remove the GPS or any other connected and visible object in the vehicle.
- Remember to check that the windows are closed when you leave the vehicle
- Consider installing theft protection such as an alarm to protect your car
Ensure your car against theft: in your car insurance contract, this cover includes the disappearance or deterioration of the vehicle, theft of parts and accessories, but also fraud or breach of trust.
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