Today car theft happens much more than people think. Over 700,000 vehicles are stolen each year, according to statistics reported by the Insurance Information Institute. Your homeowners' insurance covers theft of items within the home but not a car theft, which is covered by auto insurance. Here are important theft prevention tips to protect your home and car.
Keep Quiet about Trips: Don't talk about your vacation getaways on social media or to people in your neighborhood until after you return.
Lock the Windows: Be aware that determined criminals who can't get through doors try to enter vehicles through windows. Windows rolled down slightly can give car thieves access to your vehicle.
Move Your Spare Keys: Many homeowners keep their keys near the front door in case they lock themselves out. Burglars have caught on to this idea long ago and use hidden spare keys as part of their search in staking out homes.
Lock Your Car Up: Leaving car doors unlocked invites, burglars, to take a look inside for items worth stealing, including those kept in your glove compartment.
Avoid Trusting Strangers: Just because you make connections on social media doesn't always mean you're making real friends. Sometimes you can be connecting with criminals who thrive on online friendships to learn about their next victims, such as when they go on vacations.
Invest in a Decoy: Buy a cheap safe as a decoy and don't keep anything valuable in it. When you go on vacation, leave it out to trick burglars, which could encourage them to grab it and exit faster.
Don't Leave Valuable Items in Your Car: Burglars look inside car windows for items to steal. If they see anything valuable inside, they might break the window, grab the item and quickly escape while your alarm goes off.
Move Your Jewellery: Since your homeowners' insurance might not cover all your jewelry, keep it locked up in a safe place.
Invest in Security Cameras: You don't need expensive video surveillance cameras to scare away burglars. Instead, just about any type of camera will deter them from loitering on your property.
Watch Your Purse: If you carry a purse in public, be careful around kids on bikes looking to snatch purses. They prey in areas without much supervision, such as shopping center parking lots.
Use Smart Tech to Monitor Your Home: Invest in a smart light that you can turn on and off remotely with a smartphone. Similarly, invest in other innovative technology that can help you monitor your home with real-time video.
Mount the TV: Don't make it easy for burglars to steal your TV. Mounting it high near the ceiling makes them forget about stealing it.
Find a Housesitter: Maximize theft prevention by hiring a house sitter you trust, especially when many people know you'll be away from your home.
Don't Brag: When you buy something expensive, be careful not to brag about it to others, as some jealous criminals might want a piece of the action.
Tell Kids Not to Open the Door: If you have kids, teach them not to open the door for strangers.
Don't Forget about Textbooks: Criminals might not be interested in learning from textbooks, but they might want to steal them so they can sell them online.
Getting the right insurance policy is part of protecting your assets, along with following these theft prevention tips. Contact the experts at Spotlight Insurance Agency for more information about how to keep your possessions safe and ensure they are covered.
