Every 27 seconds a car is stolen in the United States. It takes 90 seconds or less for a car thief to take your vehicle. It is no longer enough to just roll-up your windows and lock your doors. Although the majority of stolen vehicles are recovered within 48 hours, by then the damage has already been done. The City of Dayton and the Dayton Police Department are encouraging its residents to PROTECT YOUR VEHICLE. Grand Theft Auto in the City of Dayton is down from last year. However, there is still work to be done to educate our citizens in protecting our vehicles in order to reduce this particular crime even more.
In the City of Dayton and surrounding suburbs, any make or model of car is subjected to theft. GM cars between 1988 and 1990 and Chrysler products are the most vulnerable. However, there are several devices on the market that can make a car thief to think twice about stealing your car. The most common and least expensive device is the common Club. Usually, car thieves will target a vehicle and if the vehicle is equipped with a Club, the thief will target another vehicle: one without a Club. The Club can be easily seen by a car thief and acts as a deterrent for auto theft. The Club can be purchased at any auto parts store, Walmart, Kmart and also over the internet. The Club costs between $15.00-$30.00.
There are several other devices to consider. Alarm systems are excellent deterrents to auto theft. Although an alarm system is a little bit more expensive than the Club, it will keep most car thieves at bay. Tracking systems will not prevent a car thief from stealing your car, but it will expedite the recovery of your car. We recommend that the tracking system be used in conjunction with another anti-theft device.
The Armored Collar, or steering column lock, is a device that would prevent a car thief from breaking or peeling the steering column on your car, which is the preferred method thieves use to steal vehicles. The Armored Collar cannot be seen until the car thief attempts to peel the steering column. Once the car thief realizes your car is protected with the Armored Collar, he will likely move on, in search of his next victim. Protecting the steering column with an Armored Collar along with the Club would reduce the number of auto thefts within the City of Dayton. These devices cost between $99.00-$250.00. Although there are other devices that would prevent auto thefts, these are the recommended ones.
There are some other things citizens can do to prevent auto thefts. First and foremost, always take your keys with you when you get out of your car. Nearly 20% of all the vehicles are stolen with the keys in the ignition. As convenient as it may seem, leaving your car running to warm it in the winter time or while running inside the store is all a car thief needs to make your car disappear. Always lock your car and never hide a second set of keys in your vehicle. Don’t leave valuables such as purses or store purchases in plain view. This will only draw the attention of a car thief. Lastly, try to park in well lit areas. Car thieves do not want to be seen committing their crimes and will use the shadows and the darkness to conceal themselves while stealing your vehicle.
Your vehicle doesn’t have to be next. Always protect your vehicle and use and practice the crime prevention tips that have been discussed. For more information, contact the Dayton Police Department’s Grand Theft Auto Squad at 333-1223.