A small thing like remembering to lock your car doors when you park your car at the corner store, can be an ENORMOUS help in stopping auto theft. When your car is stolen, your life suddenly turns upside down, and your bank account may experience a heavy hit. Most stolen cars are used by thieves for joyrides, although there are a number of cars stolen for parts, and some are taken for the resale value.

Even though the police do their best to prevent auto theft, and protect us from these criminals, it's still up to us to do our share too. By using security systems on your car, you can help in the fight against this crime. Having said this though, experienced car thieves have been known to find a way around some of these systems , so even those devices are not 100% guaranteed.

Car thieves tend to lurk in areas where they know there will be a lot of cars parked, for example shopping malls. About 66% of all car thefts occur during the night hours. It might interest you to know that a professional car thief can be into your car in less than 60 seconds and driving away in your new SUV before you even know it's missing!

By being careless, you can make it simple for criminals to steal your vehicle. If you're foolish enough to leave your car open and running when you are not at the wheel, you are certainly making it a target for a potential car thief. "Crimes of opportunity" like this happen regularly, and so it's up to us to start behaving more responsibly and to stop making it easy for the car thief to succeed!

As car owners, there are certain things that we can do to make it more difficult for the car thief to excel in his trade. One very important thing that was already brought up was to make sure that your car is not left running with the the keys in the ignition. You should always carry your keys with you, even if you are just dropping in somewhere for a moment, and whatever you do, make sure you never leave your house keys on your key ring if you are using valet parking.

Leaving your car unlocked or the windows down is an open invitation to thieves. It is much easier for a thief to try the doors of parked vehicles until they find one that is open, than to break a window or jimmy locks as this would certainly attract unwanted attention for them.

Thieves can be tempted easily, so don't give them an excuse by leaving valuables such as purses, wallets, etc out where they can be seen. Instead take these small items with you when you leave the car. If for some reason you can't take them with you, lock them in the trunk making sure you are not being watched, and do this somewhere other than in the parking lot you intend to use.

Also, never leave your drivers license, vehicle registration, insurance cards or credit cards or any other such important documentation in your car. A thief can break into your car just like that and make off with your entire identity - which is a real headache!

Always avoid poorly lit parking spaces that have low visibility. The best place to park is directly under a light, or somewhere highly visible to passersby. This will make a potential car thief think twice before approaching your vehicle.

Car thieves can be intimidated if they see visible evidence or audible evidence that lets them know that your car is protected against auto theft. Any good security system for your car, should keep tabs on all points of entry. A steering wheel locking device or a steering-wheel-to-brake-peddle unit are both good ways to help keep your car safe, and are not as expensive as a complete security system.

The whole community is affected when cars are stolen. If we become more vigilant as to our responsibilities as car owners, it will go a long way towards cutting down on the number of auto thefts. By neglecting to do simple things like turning your engine off and locking your car doors when you're not in your vehicle, you are putting out the welcome mat for the criminal element.