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04.08.2008 |
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A vehicle is stolen every 26 seconds somewhere in the United States. This means that 1.2 million automobiles disappear each year. Although we have made significant local strides in combating this problem, we continue to see an excessive number of vehicles stolen. The fact that we are a port city complicates the problem even further as vehicles can be shipped and sold overseas on the black market.
Despite these difficulties, Miami-Dade County continues a successful downward trend when combating this too-frequent crime. In the last two years, Miami-Dade Police reported a 17% decrease in the number of vehicles reported stolen. Techniques such as the use of bait cars and license plate readers, combined with owner-applied theft deterrent efforts, have made these decreases possible.
Despite our successes, we must continue our focus on this crime, which actually affects each one of us through higher auto insurance premiums. Auto theft losses are estimated at 7.6 billion dollars per year. You can reduce your likelihood of being the victim of car theft by taking a few precautionary steps.
1) Park in well lit areas. Statistics show that more than half of all vehicle thefts occur in hours of darkness.
2) Try to park in attended areas. Thieves do not like witnesses and would rather target unattended lots.
3) Don’t leave articles of value in plain view inside your vehicle. Make your vehicle a less desirable target.
4) Park with your wheels turned and locked toward the curb. Make it as difficult as possible for your car to be towed away.
5) Always use your emergency brake when parking. This creates another obstacle the thief must overcome if he decides to tow the vehicle.
6) Invest in vehicle protection devices. Whether it be an audible alarm, a steering column cover, or a wheel lock, it may cause the thief to skip your vehicle and look elsewhere.
7) Use common sense. Always lock your doors and close your windows. Don’t leave a spare key inside the car and if you have a garage, use it.
8) Never leave your car running. Many thefts occur as unsuspecting drivers leave the keys in the ignition to take a few seconds to use an ATM or pay the gas attendant.
9) When leaving town for extended period of time, consider storing your car at a relative’s house. Due to a lack of observed activity, car thieves try to prey on apparent “unused vehicles”.
10) Engrave expensive accessories. Engraving personal identifiers on expensive items like car stereos or rims will make it difficult for the thief to dispose of them.
If your vehicle is stolen, contact your local police department immediately to start the investigation. For additional information regarding auto theft prevention and related topics, visit the National Insurance Crime Bureau Website at www.nicb.org.
By Katherine Fernandez Rundle
Miami-Dade State Attorney |
