Last updated on October 5th, 2023 at 04:32 pm
Car theft is a problem that affects everyone. It increases insurance rates, puts innocent people in danger, and costs taxpayers money. Car theft is another name of misery for car owners. When you are in a remote area with your beloved car, you remain in fear of being stolen.
National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) says that car theft occurs every 45 seconds in the US. And most of those happen due to a common mistake of leaving keys in the car. This reason raised theft by about 31%. Despite being much conscious, you may become the victim of car theft.
In a Car thief’s words, “It takes only 20 seconds to break into your vehicle and steal things”. So, nothing is more important than consciousness in this case. You can dismiss thieves’ motives by using thebest wheel locks. Fortunately, there are steps we can all take to help prevent car theft.
What is Auto theft?
The task of stealing cars or other vehicles calls auto theft. It’s a very dangerous crime with an intense trial. The trials depend on the severances of the offense. The punishment can be reduced or increased considering the criminal’s previous record. Intelligent owners have insurance for their cars. It gives them full coverage for any loss or damages.
How to prevent your car from being stolen?
There may be two reasons Why Car Thefts are Skyrocketing and increasing rapidly every year.
Owner’s Carelessness
Its prevalent cause of car theft is the owner’s unconsciousness. About 22% of the theft occurred for this reason.
Most owners leave their keys in the car and the window unclosed. So, the thief doesn’t need to break in and grab only the additional. Their job becomes smoother and takes just a few seconds to get in and make the car gone as they prepare themselves to work within seconds. From 2015 to 2019, most of the car thefts occurred for this reason.
No firm Punishment
Another important reason for car theft on the rise is “punishment delaying.”
The law enforcers remain inactive in most cases. Several laws for the crime of vehicle stealing vary from state to state. Unfortunately, there is no effective implementation of these statutes. If there is, that is a rare case and not regular.
If the law enforcers and activators become stricter about the execution, the crime will certainly reduce within a few years. Otherwise, it’ll rise alarmingly.
How Many Cars are Stolen each year in the United States?
According to FBI reports, Auto thieves stole about 500,000 automobiles in a year. In 2013 the number was 699594. Surprisingly, about 73% of these vehicles were cars.
In 2012, the number of motor vehicles theft was 721,053. By the survey, Auto theft increased approximately 0.6 % in 2012 to the previous year.
From the latest statistics of 2015, one in every 379 vehicles becomes the thieves’ target.
Again, this year the rate increased by 3.1% from 2014. The risk of vehicle theft is more in the urban areas of the United States.
The rate of car theft is 220.0 per 100,000 citizens. It is 2.2% greater than in 2014. In 2019, vehicles were stolen at a rate of 219.9 per 100,000 persons.
Vehicle Theft Charges: Penalties and Punishment
In the United States, motor vehicle theft is a felony. If it is not, then it will be a misdemeanor. In some states, it’s a severe crime with strict penalties.
In some states, it’s a third-degree felony. The seriousness varies from state to condition. Vehicle theft, worth under US dollars 1500, is a misdemeanor. If the amount is more than 200,000 US dollars, it will be a first-degree felony. The punishment for this felony is about 5 to 99 years in jail.
Even the court may charge compensation for the significant loss. The court will consider the criminal’s history and ability to sentence a penalty. Felony degree varies with the crime.
According to the laws in Florida, the punishment is more significant if the convict steals a costly vehicle or uses that for further corruption.
In Alaska, the punishment ranges change according to the process of the offense. The penalty rises from misdemeanor to felony in California if that is a police car.
How To Prevent Your Car From Being Stolen
- Lock Up Your Car
- Take the Keys with You
- Park Under Streetlights
- Location Matters
- Leave Nothing in the Car
- Set The Alarm
- Anti-Theft Systems
Leave the keys in the car unconsciously and the window down; you will see your vehicle gone after returning. Thieves only take a few seconds to make off with your car. So, self-awareness is the key here. All you can do to Prevent Car Theft –
Lock Up Your Car
Don’t forget to lock your car and the doors when leaving the vehicle. You can also close the wheels using wheel locks. You can choose the best wheel locks from different automobile markets. Again, You can pick the best steering wheel locks for your beast to keep the steering wheel closed. The steering wheel lock is also simple to use and easy to unlock.
Take the Keys with You
Never make the mistake of leaving keys in the car. Instead, take keys with you and keep them in a safe place.
Park Under Streetlights
Always park your car in lights, especially under street lights. “We hated the car in lights,” said the thief. Also, install a sensor light on the alarm to prevent theft.
Location Matters
Don’t Park your car in a remote and uninhabited area. In uninhabited and urban regions, the chances of stealing are greater.
Leave Nothing in the Car
Don’t leave any precious belongings in the car.
Set The Alarm
Put the alarm on while leaving, even for 2 minutes.
Anti-Theft Systems
Use anti-theft technology to prevent your precious car from being stolen. You can install some best steering wheel locks. Further, you can apply a cut-off ignition system. Best steering wheel locks will ensure you better safety. You can install a GPS Tracker to track your car after the theft.
Final Verdict
Sometimes you are unable to prevent the theft. In some cases, you are lucky enough, unless your car becomes the target of thieves. Best wheel locks can keep your vehicle safe. If the owner’s become more aware while leaving the car, this crime will decrease satisfactorily. By installing the anti-theft system, you can also cut the chances.