Vehicle Burglary Prevention Tips

Vehicle burglaries often occur at night when people are sleeping and the burglar can sneak around in the darkness without being noticed. They also occur in parking lots in the middle of the day. These crimes are often preventable. How can you protect your vehicle from being burglarized? Following these simple guidelines will make your vehicle less of a target.

• Do not leave any valuables in the vehicle. Out of Sight – Out of Mind. If there is nothing in the vehicle, there is no reason to break in.
• Roll the windows all the way up. Even a window rolled down ‘just a crack’ provides easy access.
• Lock the doors every time you leave the vehicle; even if you only plan to ‘run in for just a minute.' This includes tailgates on pickups. Keep the doors locked when in the garage, too. Keeping your doors locked also prevents small children from becoming trapped in a vehicle if they find an unlocked door and get in to play – this could result in a tragedy in our Arizona heat.
• Set the alarm, if you have one. Most key fobs lock the doors with one press of the ‘lock’ button, but require two immediate presses of the lock button to set the alarm.

A few simple prevention steps will reduce your chances of becoming a victim of burglary or having your vehicle stolen. Remember, vehicle insurance often does not cover your personal items that are left inside the vehicle when it is burglarized. Paying deductibles for broken windows and stolen items could result in higher insurance premiums. Lock it or lose it!