Holiday Shopping: Watch Out for Vehicle Break-Ins
As the holiday shopping season gets into full swing, vehicle break-ins also increase.
Why? Criminals know that there’s a greater likelihood of finding valuable merchandise inside a car during the holiday season.
Vehicle break-ins tend to happen more often at big box malls and strip malls. This is because shoppers usually stop at their cars between stores to drop off their purchases.
So how can you reduce the likelihood of someone breaking into your car? There are a few simple things that you can do to make your car a less obvious target. As a bonus, many of these tips will also help prevent your car from being stolen.
Don’t Place Valuables in Plain Sight
Criminals look for bags, purses and other valuables that they can see easily. After all, if they’re going to break into your car, they want to know that they’re going to get something of value for their trouble. For this reason, avoid placing valuables where they can be seen. It’s quite easy to store your shopping and your purse in the trunk instead of in the back seat and doing so can reduce the likelihood of your car becoming a target. Plus, it’s generally tougher to break into the trunk than it is to smash a window and take whatever is in your back seat.
If you’re going to be making a lot of purchases and don’t have room for all of them in your trunk, you might want to head home in between stores to drop your bags off. Yes, this is less convenient and will take more time, but it will also protect the items that you havejust bought.
Lock Your Doors
Be sure to always lock the doors on your car, even if you’re just running into the store for a few minutes. It sounds simple, but it’s effective. Locking your doors won’t make it impossible for a thief to break into your car, but it will add an additional barrier. You’d be surprised at how many times criminals just walk up to a car, open the unlocked doors, steal what they want and leave without anyone noticing that anything is wrong. Locking your doors makes it more time consuming and more difficult to break into a car without being seen.
Choose Your Parking Spot Wisely
You shouldn’t just choose a parking spot based on convenience. You also want to make sure that you pick a safe spot where the likelihood of a break-in will be lower. Rather than parking close to the exit or near the store that you’re planning on shopping at, consider parking in a spot that is well lit and where there is more pedestrian activity. These spots are more visible and this will decrease the chances of a criminal choosing your car out of fear of being caught in the act.
You’ll also want to watch out for those around you when you park and when you head back to your car to drop off packages. Take note of anyone who appears to be following you or who seems to be loitering around you, your car or the parking lot. These are warning signs that you should take seriously and avoid.
Whether automotive security or institutional security, being vigilant is a key to deterring theft.