Your car is likely the most valuable thing you own besides your own (or the most expensive thing if you don’t have a house). You need to take good care of it to make your investment last.
But even if you are doing everything you can to take care of your car, it could all be taken away from you in an instant if someone decides to steal it. Unfortunately, that’s a growing reality today.
A new report from USA Today shows that car thefts are on the rise. According to the latest data, the number of cars stolen was up 1 percent in the first half of 2015 compared with the same time period the previous year. Meanwhile, other crimes were down, such as burglary (down 10 percent in the same period) and larceny theft (down 3 percent).
The rise in automotive theft was expected – though it was expected to be much worse. The National Insurance Crime Bureau projected that car theft would go up 9 percent in the first half of 2015 compared to the previous year.
Other crimes have fallen dramatically in the last 10 years – property crimes are down overall by 19 percent. However, car theft is only down 2 percent in the last 10 years.
Officials say that car theft is up because thieves have become more savvy about how to evade security technology. Some strategies have included stealing rental car fleets or using falsified owner titles to get the cars.
You don’t need a high-tech security system to protect your car, but you should take some precautions to keep your investment safe. While Arizona isn’t one of the top 10 states for car thefts, it is neighbors with some who are, like California (which was third with 151,852 car thefts in 2014), Nevada (which was fourth with 10,185 thefts) and New Mexico (which was fifth with 6,290 thefts). Arizona also wasn’t one of the top 10 with the least amount of car thefts. (Vermont and Maine were the clear winners.)
It is important that you shop for a car that has an alarm system included, but you should also consider purchasing a car that has a programmable key, such as a transponder or fob. These keys have a chip inside that the car must detect in order to start, which makes them much harder to duplicate if thieves try to get a key cut by calling a mobile car locksmith in Gold Canyon and claiming that they are locked out of their own car.
Some cars also include codes for their door locks, which can make it even harder for thieves to get inside.
Keep all your car documents safe, such as your title or the lien. If thieves get their hands on these documents, they can take them to a car locksmith to get new keys made. Without these documents, a reputable locksmith would not make the keys.
If your car is an older model that does not include this newer technology, you can have an alarm system installed. You can also take common sense measures like parking in well-lit and secure places, such as your garage instead of your driveway or a paid parking garage instead of the street. Always lock your vehicle, and do not keep valuables inside. If you do have a bag or something that looks valuable in the car, either put it out of sight or move it to the trunk. Don’t tempt thieves to break into your car by leaving out something that looks valuable.
If you ever find yourself needing to “break in” to your own car because you’ve been locked out with the keys inside, you can call mobile car locksmith U.S. Key Service in Arizona. An experienced car locksmith in Queen Creek will come to you wherever you are. We make duplicate keys in Queen Creek, retrieve keys that are locked in, or fix transponder and other keys. Of course, we always ask for proof of identification and documentation before we do it to ensure that only the right people are getting into the car. Keep our number on speed dial for the next time you need a mobile car locksmith in Arizona. Contact us today!
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