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Preventing Larcenies in Automobiles

The best way to prevent larcenies from motor vehicles is never to leave valuables in your car unattended and unsecured—particularly electronic goods such as cellular telephones and laptop computers.  Get into a habit of locking your vehicle.  Remember Lock It and Pocket the Key.  Many of these automobile larcenies are “crimes of opportunity” that could have been avoided if the vehicle had been locked.  Even items such as loose change in an open console can attract someone’s eye. So before you walk away from your auto, scan the interior for valuables.

Prevention Methods
  • Parking your car in a driveway or lot rather than on the street provides some minimal deterrent.   If you must park on the street at night, try to park under a street light or otherwise in a well-lit area and secure your vehicle by locking the doors and rolling up the windows.
     
  • Audible alarms: triggered by motion or impact sensors. Thieves aren’t likely to stick around when they go off.
     
  • Theft deterrent decals: an inexpensive way to bluff a thief into thinking that your vehicle is protected by an alarm or another device but you still need to secure your vehicle.
     
  • When parking at shopping malls or Hotels/Motels, try to park near the entrance, and always secure your vehicle.
     
  • When you park in the garage and leave the garage door up, don’t leave valuables in the vehicle, especially wallets, purses and keys.