There are many different methods of increasing your car's security, but there's one key that you need to be aware of.
Recently I went to the local mall. After concluding my shopping, I returned
to the parking lot. I walked down the aisle where I had parked my car. Upon
reaching the spot where I thought I had left my car, I was greeted with an
empty stall. My car’s been stolen, I convinced myself. I spun around
looking desperately for the car (I drive a large Suburban, so I held onto the
hope that I might spot it). Fortunately, it turned out that I had merely walked
down the wrong aisle and I easily found my vehicle. But the experience was
enough for me to consider how safe my car really is.
What I’ve found out is shocking. While my gas-guzzling, tank-sized SUV may
not be on the top of the car thief’s favorite vehicles to steal, it wasn’t
exactly theft proof. I was at risk of losing my car simply because I had
committed several mistakes and even more oversights.
The Alarming Statistics
According to 2003 U.S.
statistics, every 25 seconds a car is stolen. Fortunately, the recovery rate
for stolen vehicles in the U.S.
is at 63 percent. The bad news? That number fell from the mid 80 percent levels
in the early 90s. And there’s more:
U.S.
motor thefts rose 1.1 percent in 2003. That’s an increase of nearly 14,000
more cars than 2002, bringing the total to 1,260,471 motor vehicles
reported stolen.
The odds of your car being
stolen? 1 in 190. Your car is more likely to be stolen than for you to be
involved in a car accident, having your identity stolen, or being audited
by the IRS.
Recent studies indicate that Honda Accord is no longer the reigning champ of
stolen vehicles. According to CCC Information Services, Inc., that odious honor
now goes to the 1999 Acura Integra. What other cars are topping out a thief’s
top picks?