Vehicle Theft Prevention
According to NHTSA data, there are over 800,000 people affectedby vehicle theft annually. In 2020, this resulted in a cost of over $7 billion to vehicle owners. In response to this, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has declared July as Vehicle Theft Prevention Month.
These incidents are not simple “smash and grabs” resulting in the loss of radios and vehicle contents, or people stealing wheel covers. Car thieves will take anything they see valuable: doors, engines, transmissions, air bags, radios, GPS units, cell phones, iPads, laptops, and purses. Catalytic convertor theft has seen a significant increase over recent years due to the precious metals used to manufacture them.
If you are a victim of this crime, there are some basic steps you must follow:
- Immediately contact the police. When you do, you will need to provide them with: year, make, model, and color of you vehicle, license plate number, vehicle identification number (VIN), and any identifying characteristics (stickers, damage, etc.)
- Contact your insurance company within 24 hours to file a claim: they will need a copy of the police report, case number, and contact information
- If you find your vehicle first, contact the police and your insurance company: do not attempt to recover the vehicle yourself; allow the police to process the vehicle first
NHTSA Vehicle Theft Facts
- - Only 56.4% of all stolen motor vehicles are recovered
- - On average, a motor vehicle is stolen every 39 seconds
- - Passenger cars made up more than 74% of all stolen motor vehicles
- - There were approximately 804,400 motor vehicles stolen in 2020; this is a 11.8% increase from 2019
Basic Steps to Deter Thieves
- - Park in well-lit areas
- - Take your keys with you; never leave them in or on your vehicle
- - Check that all doors are locked & windows are closed before leaving your vehicle
- - Do not leave your vehicle running when you have to go inside or leave the immediate area
- - Never leave valuables in your car, if you do, make sure they are hidden from view should someone look in the windows
