Tips For Outsmarting Today's Car Thieves

According to fresh news from the Staten Island and New Jersey police, as well as authorities from other parts of the country, there has been a recent and most disturbing wave of car larcenies and theft cases that have drawn their attention in the last few months. The so-called side view mirrors car theft cases that have convinced the authorities of the severity of these acts and the necessity to issue clear warnings to the citizens in these areas.  Today, we are going to going to share with you the main vulnerabilities that your own vehicle might be subject to, as well as give you some clever tips on how to outsmart these thieves who are not afraid to rely on high-tech to reach their goals.

The Side-View Mirror Trick Used By Today's Car Thieves

One particular phenomenon that has caught the attention of the authorities in New Jersey, Staten Island, and other states and cities across the country is the following: car thieves have carefully studied the high-tech feature that has been incorporated on late model cars and they are using it to their best advantage. We are now referring to the side view folding mirror feature that lets drivers know their vehicle has been effectively locked and the car has stopped running. While helpful on its own for car owners, this feature is also the one that seems to be making the same vehicles more vulnerable in the hands of potential thieves. This is the case when the vehicle is left unlocked and the unfolded position of the side mirrors is tipping off burglars passing by.  If you happen to be the proud owner of such an expensive luxury vehicle, we strongly suggest you pay close attention to the following tips and information.

Mirror Mirror On The Car: Always Look Behind

Create the healthy habit of always looking back when parking your car someplace, whether it is somewhere on the side of the road as you need to run a quick two-minute errand, your office regular parking spot, your home driveway, or someplace else. This will not only help you figure out whether you have accidentally left any valuable items inside the car, but it should also immediately inform you if you have accidentally forgotten to lock the vehicle before stepping away from it.  Always check the side-view mirrors in case you are driving a model with the automatically folding mirrors so you can know if the vehicle is locked or unlocked, depending on the position of the mirrors: folded means locked, unfolded means unlocked.

It's pretty easy and straightforward and, unfortunately, it is also a piece of information that has reached car thieves who are not afraid to put it to use.  Law enforcement officers have noticed an increasing number of cases of stolen cars where thieves have used the side mirror method to simplify their work. Plus, many of these vehicles also had key fobs inside the cars, making their job even easier and hassle-free. Making a habit out of never leaving your vehicle behind without double-checking the state of the folding mirrors, locks, and armed alarm on the car, if any.

Beware Of The Key Fob App Trick

Another example of car thieves using car high-tech to take off with a vehicle that does not belong to them or break into one and steal precious items found laying on the backseats is the following: the use of dedicated smartphone apps that can be installed on any compatible smartphone or device and used to accurately locate all vehicles with key fobs in them.  These apps can also be used as a car theft prevention solution by car owners who can personally have them installed on their own phones and use them to never leave their key fobs behind ever again. This is essential in the case of a vehicle that has already been left unlocked, as it will considerably lower the risk of the vehicle being stolen on the spot. Since thieves will not be able to use the original key fob to start the engine, they will be forced to waste precious time trying to forcefully start the engine and risk being seen.

Tips To Prevent Your Car From Getting Stolen

Get in touch with a professional automotive locksmithing service like On Time Locksmiths and have them recommend the best car immobilizers, anti-theft car tracking and video monitoring systems, or emergency assistance buttons for enhanced car security.

1. Use A Car Immobilizer To Prevent Car Theft

Having a simple electronic immobilizer installed on your car could lower the risk of theft by as much as 40%. The device can stop the engine from running unless the correct key fob is used, making any hot-wiring attempt next to impossible. A modern-day immobilizer will completely shut down an engine under the suspicion of the vehicle having been stolen. These systems usually work hand in hand with a dedicated monitoring service that will alert the vehicle owner about the theft and shut down the engine for easier car retrieval.

2. Use Advanced Tracking Systems To Locate A Stolen Car 

In the event that your car does get stolen with the side mirror trick or the key fob location app, you could rapidly track it down with the help of a special anti-theft vehicle tracking system. These systems usually rely on advanced GPS and GLONASS technologies that can effectively locate the vehicle with a high degree of precision.

3. Know What Is Going On Inside Your Stolen Car

Provided your car is stolen using one of the high-tech techniques mentioned earlier, you could use the emergency assistance button or a video monitoring service to record what is happening inside the vehicle and catch a glimpse of the thieves or have the monitoring company contact the authorities in case they cannot reach you and your car is being stolen.

Never leave any valuables inside the parked car, and always make sure your locks and key fobs are working flawlessly with the help of our expert locksmiths.