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Car vandalism and auto theft have been running rampant the past few years. With boredom from the pandemic and the influence from social media, people have been causing damage to a car, stealing parts, or stealing the entire car a lot more than ever before. No one wants to find themselves victims of these attacks though, yet it is unfortunately a risk we face constantly as we expose our vehicles to new places and environments.

            While there is no way to 100% guarantee you’ll never be a victim of vandalism or auto theft, there are some steps you can take to lower your chances.

1. Use Your Garage

If you own a home with an enclosed garage, the best option to prevent theft and vandalism is to park your car in the garage. This will reduce people’s accessibility to your car to essentially nothing, which will make it significantly harder for them to vandalize or steal it.

2. Park in a Well-Lit Area

If you are someone whose home does not have an enclosed garage, your next best option is to keep your car parked in a well-lit area. By remaining in a well-lit area, you increase the visibility levels of your car. This oftentimes acts as a deterrent for those considering vandalism or theft as they run the risk of being caught in a more lit up area.

3. Hide or Remove Anything of Value

A common enticer for someone to vandalize a car is when they can see something valuable sitting in the car through a window. An easy way to not invite vandals and thieves is having all valuables tucked away and not visible through the window, or just removing them from the car entirely.

4. Make Sure All Windows Are Up

Every time when leaving your car, double check all windows are up. With them all completely rolled up, you may be able to save your car from attack, as something as minute as a crack in the window could be the thing that leads a thief to deciding to break in.

5. Install an Alarm

Many new cars come with a built-in security alarm. If your car is perhaps an older model and does not yet have an alarm, we highly suggest you install one. It often scares off vandals and thieves from even attempting anything when they can tell a car has a security system installed. If a vandal or thief still decides to damage or steal your car, the alarm also acts as a loud notifier to alert you and others around.

6. Install Cameras

If your car is truly irreplaceable, it is in your best interest to install CCTV cameras set up around where you park in order to monitor your car. Having noticeable security cameras set up often wards off people from even attempting to vandalize or steal. However, this also helps if someone decides to do something, you have a higher chance of finding them.

7. Install a Dash Camera

Another type of camera you can install is your own dash camera. With one, you can record from your car’s POV any attempts to vandalize or steal your car. A dash camera is also recognizable enough that vandals who notice it may think twice about attempting to damage your property.

8. Use a Wheel Lock

We highly recommend investing in a wheel lock. In the case of someone attempting to steal your car, a big metal rod would be installed making it impossible to fully rotate a steering wheel when it is attached. It is not foolproof, but it is a good precaution to take.