Vehicle At Risk? How To Prevent Vehicle Theft & Stop Car Thieves

For many, vehicles are an extension of our homes, our offices, or even our personalities. For one to be totaled or stolen would be devastating for anyone; for those in an industrial profession like construction or environmental remediation, who rely on a truck’s security to do their jobs, it could be catastrophic.Unfortunately, vehicle theft is on the rise. Data released by The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) notes that 2020 was a record-breaking year for such instances, like breaking into trucks and/or siphoning fuel. Surely, such a rise in crime puts potentially every vehicle at risk.The FBI reports that in that year alone, vehicle-related theft topped out at over $7 billion lost, and nearly 1 million vehicles stolen. That means victims notified the police about a stolen car nearly every minute of every day for a year! This data culminates a year-over-year increase in motor thefts for over a decade, and provides plenty of reasons to try and stop car thieves as best we can.

When is my vehicle at risk?

Reading numbers like those quoted above can be worrying. After all, how are you supposed to know when you're in danger of vehicle theft, and how can you stop car thieves before they do serious damage? The NICB correlates the highest risk with the following factors:

• Working and/or worship hours
• National crisis
  • The pandemic
  • Economic recession
  • Natural disasters
• Societal downturn
  • The lack of juvenile outreach (“after school”) programs
  • Unemployment spikes
  • Limitations to public safety resources (e.g. police presence)

As people generally feel more desperate and there is a window of opportunity — such as a truck parked on the perimeter of a job site — we increase our risk of an incident.

Stop Car Thieves Early

Ten years ago, the United States was known for having more registered vehicles than licensed drivers, while the Scientific American reports that advancements in fuel efficiency are making daily commuting more appealing to the average driver, thus increasing the country’s annual miles-driven statistics. It is little wonder, then, how essential personal vehicles have become to one's collective way of life. We understand that especially well at EnviroServe, as our Customers rely on our fleet of trucks, trailers, and construction equipment to get their biggest jobs done – either as part of our regular services or simply to rent.Stopping car thieves early, therefore, is only becoming more important to the function of our careers, our families, and our routines.When considering how to prevent vehicle theft before it begins, consider the following:

• Park your car in as public an area as possible
• Remove or stow away all visible valuables in your car
• Invest in antitheft technology for your vehicle. Options include:
  • Install a car alarm or make sure yours is in working order
  • Connect your car to a tracker on your phone
  • Invest in systems that shut off power to the car remotely
  • Make sure your door codes are unique
  • Keep your key fob on your person at all times

You may also consider other, higher-level ways to prevent vehicle theft in the long-term, including always purchasing vehicles from reputable dealers and having a bank or credit union verify the authenticity of ownership papers.

Protect Yourself from Vehicle Theft

Believing you have a vehicle at risk is enough to unsettle anyone. Not only are the cars or trucks themselves valuable for resell, but so are the precious elements found in their components, like gold in the catalytic converter.Being mindful of the steps listed above will help you safeguard your possessions, stop car thieves before they strike, and stay mobile for all the tasks that will come our way.