Auto Theft Prevention Guide Oakland CA

Want to make your vehicle less attractive to car thieves? Rule #1: The quicker a car thief can steal your vehicle, the more attractive it is. Anything you can do to slow down professional car thieves or joy riders, say the auto insurance experts at GEICO, will make your vehicle a less appealing target.

Here are some ways GEICO recommends to help drivers protect their vehicles:

1. Keep your vehicle locked at all times, even while driving.

2. When parked, never leave your keys in the car. Close all the windows and the sunroof.

3. Never leave your car running and unattended.

4. Avoid leaving valuables inside your vehicle where passersby can see them.

5. Do not leave your vehicle title in the car. Too often a car thief is pulled over and gets away from the police because he or she can produce the auto registration. (If multiple drivers use the vehicle, the best suggestion would be to hide the registration in a secret location in the car that only the owners know.)

6. Know where you're going. Avoid known high crime areas even if the alternate route takes longer.

7. Install an anti-theft system in your vehicle if it doesn't have one. Thieves are reluctant to steal vehicles if they know the cars can be recovered quickly. Many insurers offer discounts for these types of systems.