How to Prevent Car Theft in 12 Steps

Don't Make It Easy For Car Thieves

Want to make your vehicle less attractive to car thieves? 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 specialists at GEICO, will make your vehicle a less appealing target.

Car theft prevention practices are vital for keeping your car safely in your hands. In 2019, the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program reported that more than $6 billion was lost nationwide to motor vehicle thefts in 2019. Over 70% of those thefts were automobiles.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a motor vehicle was stolen every 39 seconds in the United States in 2020. We've compiled 12 steps you can take to reduce your overall risk and prevent car theft.

What You Can Do

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

  1. Keep your vehicle locked at all times, even while driving. Unlocked doors are easy targets.
  2. When parked, never leave your keys in the car. Ensure windows are fully closed to prevent a thief from trying to open the door from the inside.
  3. Never leave your car running and unattended. Even if your doors are locked, a carjacker only has to break a window to get in.
  4. Avoid leaving valuables inside your vehicle. Keep high-value items like phones, purses, or other valuables hidden. Put valuables in your trunk before you get where you're going.
  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 the types of systems listed below.
  8. Thieves prefer to work in the dark. Be particularly cautious at night about where you park your car. Park it in a well-lit area if possible.
  9. Look around, especially in garages, parking lots and gas stations. If you notice someone loitering, consider moving your car.
  10. Have your car's vehicle identification number (VIN) etched on each of the windows. Car thieves want to get off cheap. They don't want to go to the expense of replacing all the glass.
  11. On an incline, leave your car in park or in gear with the wheels turned toward the curb or some other obstruction. This makes it harder for thieves to tow your vehicle.
  12. If confronted by a carjacker, do not resist. Cars can be replaced; you can't.

Types of Anti-Theft Systems

A mechanism that locks onto the steering wheel can be a very visible sign that you've taken steps to protect your vehicle

Ignition cut-off systems that prevent a car from being started

Some new cars come with passive alarms that activate automatically when the key is removed from the ignition

One system emits a signal that can be tracked by the police

Who You're Dealing With

Professional Thieves

  • Professionals commit the majority of auto thefts
  • They prefer high-performance cars, as well as less exotic, more popular models whose parts are interchangeable
  • These thieves usually turn the cars they steal over to "chop shops," which dismantle them and sell the parts
  • They also steal cars for export to other countries, often "stealing to order" to fulfill requests for certain types of vehicles

Joy-Riders

Joy-riders favor high-performance or luxury cars. These cars are usually recovered but often suffer significant damage.

"Bump-and-Rob"

Carjackers may bump your car from the rear, then steal it when you get out to look for damage. When stopped at a traffic light, leave room to maneuver around the vehicle ahead if you need to.

If another car bumps yours and you feel threatened, drive to a populated area or, if you have a cellular phone, call the police for assistance.

What to Do if Your Car Is Stolen

If your car is stolen, contact the police immediately. You need to file a stolen-vehicle report and to request a copy of the report for your insurance.

The NHTSA says you should provide the following information to the police:

  • License plate number
  • Make, model, and color of your vehicle
  • Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and any identifying characteristics

Auto theft should be reported to your insurance as soon as possible, preferably within the first 24 hours.