Last year a car was stolen every 36 seconds, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Car thefts have been on the rise in the last couple of years, with new data showing a 16.5% increase in car thefts in 2021 compared to 2019. Billions of dollars are lost in personal property each year due to car break-ins.
One big prize for thieves is catalytic converters. The NICB reports that in early 2018, it saw an average of 108 catalytic converter thefts per month. By January 2020, that number had jumped to 652 cases per month, and then it soared to 2,347 in December of that year. Catalytic converter thefts continue to rise due to the increasing value of precious metal.
There are many precautions you can take to protect your car, but let's start with parking. After all, there are far more petty criminals looking for a quick win than there are carjackers, so your car is most at risk when you are not with it. Which places should you avoid parking your car to prevent theft?
#1. Low-traffic areas
Visibility is a strong deterrent for criminals, for obvious reasons. So, whenever possible, park in high-traffic areas where lots of eyes will be on a potential break-in.
There seems to be a stigma that parking in low-income neighborhoods means your car is a candidate for theft. But, the research shows that break-ins happen across the board — maybe even more so in ritzy neighborhoods where high-dollar goods are more likely to be left in high-risk vehicles (like convertibles or luxury cars).
However, parking in areas with less passers-by can make an intruder more confident that they won’t be caught. If you have a choice between a main street or a secluded side-street, always choose the former.
#2. Dark or poorly lit areas
Above, we discussed how the more people who are around to see your vehicle, the better protected it will be. The same is true for how well they can see your car. Parking in a well-lit, high-traffic area where passersby, either walking or driving, are frequent may serve as a deterrent to someone who might steal from your car.
If you have to leave your car out at night, try to park near a storefront that will still be brightly lit, on a main thoroughfare, under a street light, etc. If your car is too visible it can help deter a criminal from checking it out.
Tips for avoid car theft and break-ins
Using the above recommendations, you can park your car as safely as possible, but your choice of parking spot is only the beginnning. Here are some other recommendations for keeping your car (and its contents) safe.
- Keep things hidden! The main idea here is visibility, and we mean this in two ways. First and foremost, thieves are only separated from your valuables by an easily broken piece of glass. So make sure everything — and we mean everything — is out of sight. None of your valuables should be visible to passers-by. And if your plan is to hide items away in the trunk, do so before you leave home so you’re not seen putting a $1,000 laptop away, prime for the taking the second you walk away. If you have a removable face-plate on your stereo, be sure to take it off before leaving your car—these systems are useless to thieves without the face.
- Always lock your car, and make sure to look for a good comprehensive insurance plan to cover any break-ins that may occur.
- Don't let your guard down with keyless entry. While auto tech is continuously ramping up, it has created a sort of double-edged sword when it comes to auto theft, as criminals have found their way around things like keyless entry systems (originally intended to keep those of us with a key misplacement problem inline). Make sure you don't leave your key fob in the vehicle when you walk away. Additionally, if you're home don't store it near doors or windows. You might even want to store it in a container that prevents it emitting digital signals when not in use.
- **Take other security measures.**If you have to park your car in less than safe conditions routinely (such as not having access to a garage), it may be worthwile to invest in other security measures such as a steering wheel clamp or catalytic converter lock. These measures won't necessarily stop all theives, but they may deter some who are just looking for an easy mark.
Something else to keep in mind is that your auto insurance doesn't cover the contents of your vehicle. That's covered by your home or renters insurance. See our guide to renters insurance and theft here.