Leave your keys and you may lose your car

Leave your keys and you may lose your car

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) more than 45,000 vehicles will be stolen this year because the keys were left inside.

It may be convenient to start your car and fire up the heater or A/C while you wait in the cozy confines of your house or apartment, or make a quick stop at the convenience store, but that could cost you a vehicle. Thieves love vehicles with open windows and easily exposed valuables like smartphones, backpacks and sunglasses. Leaving your keys in the ignition just makes a thief’s job easier and more profitable.

carlockpicAnd just so you know, it’s also a violation of Dallas City Code 28-76.5 to leave the keys in an unattended vehicle.

The NICB reported more than 696,000 total vehicle thefts in 2015. Dallas Fort-Worth (DFW) was number 66 in the nation for stolen vehicles in 2014. Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge full-size trucks top the list for the most popular stolen vehicles in DFW, with Honda sedans close behind. NICB says that although vehicle theft has been on a downward trajectory, it’s still a severe economic hardship to lose your vehicle to theft.

NICB continues to advise all drivers to review the four Layers of Protection:

  • Lock your car and take your keys.
  • A visible or audible warning device can ensure that your car remains where you left it.
  • If your vehicle can’t be started, it can’t be stolen. Kill switches, fuel cut-offs and smart keys are extremely effective.
  • Tracking devices help authorities recover stolen vehicles. A tracking device emits a signal to the police or to a monitoring station when the vehicle systems employ “telematics,” which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle.

The most popular day to get your vehicle stolen? Ironically, Labor Day, according to 2014 statistics.

For more information on how you can prevent vehicle theft visit: www.nicb.org.

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