Consumer Tips to prevent Vehicle Theft

Aside from your home, your car is the biggest investment that you make in your life and whether it’s a luxury car you take pride in, or just what gets you to and from the loss of such a large personal investment is devastating. While there are many ways to minimize theft, being aware of the most targeted models is important when choosing your next car.

The top 10 most stolen car models are:

DODGE TRUC CARAVAN
HONDA ACCORD EX 4DR
CHEVROLET / SILVERADO
FORD TRUCK F350 SUP
DODGE TRUC RAM 1500
CHEVROLET SILVERADO
GMC TRUCK / SIERRA 1
HONDA CIVIC LX 4DR
FORD TRUCK F350 SD

In other words trucks are the most stolen vehicles in Canada since most of the top ten vehicles are trucks (and Chevrolet Silverado is on the list twice...? Not sure why.). And it is usually the result of someone leaving their truck for "a few minutes" and leave their keys in the ignition. Trucks are also easier to break into and easier to hot wire and typically don't have any anti-theft features.

Most vehicle crime is opportunistic and therefore preventable. Here are some helpful tips to help prevent your car from being targeted:

Know where your keys are at all times.

Never start your vehicle and leave it running with the keys in the ignition unattended.

When you take your car in for service make sure that you’re taking it to an accredited repair facility that you are familiar with.

Be careful about loaning your vehicle to people, their actions can have implications on your insurance.

Make sure to always close the garage door at night and that vehicles are locked. Check to make sure that you haven’t left anything valuable in your car, and make sure your sunroof is closed.

If you’re out shopping don’t leave any cash lying around in the car, make sure that your wallet, keys and purse are all out of sight or safely locked in the trunk.

At times thieves will target specific types of cars and gain access through an unlocked door in the house in order to take the keys of your vehicle and drive away. Make sure that all of your house doors are locked at all times.

The cost and time spent on repairs, buying a new vehicle and replacement of stolen items can easily be prevented by following the above tips. Having theft insurance helps too, but basically you're just begging to have your car stolen if you are careless.