Car Thefts at Eight-Year High
13 Feb 2019According to the FBI, car thefts increased to 773,000 in 2017 representing an eight-year high and presenting quite a problem for consumers reporters say are often to blame for the thefts of their vehicles.
How are car owners to blame for many of the car thefts that occur? Simple carelessness. Many thieves are simply taking advantage of opportunities that present themselves when car owners thoughtlessly leave key fobs in their cars.
Thieves swoop in and drive off in these newer vehicles without a hitch. With so many vehicles operating with push-button starts today, they only need the key fob to be present in the vehicle for it to start. This means thieves push the button and drive away.
Unfortunately, USA Today reports that 62 percent of cars sold in 2018 include keyless ignition as standard features meaning these cars are more commonplace on roadways than ever before. While keyless ignition does eliminate the problem of having vehicle hotwired, it doesn’t overcome the challenge of owners forgetting to remove the fobs from vehicles that allow them to start with the push of a button.
What this boils down to is that the cost of convenience could prove bigger than some drivers realize as car thefts increase insurance costs on future vehicles, net losses related to deductibles, and may even leave you financially responsible for the acts of joyriding car thieves that damage other property with your stolen vehicle.
With the average costs of a new car approaching $40,000 thieves to have more incentive than ever to steal cars and very little to lose. Especially thieves that are organized enough to work with overseas agents and markets to offload these vehicles.
Car owners can protect themselves, though by removing key fobs from their cars, locking their vehicles when not in use, and investing in GPS tracking for their vehicles. GPS car tracking can be set to notify owners if their car leaves their garages during designated hours, provide live tracking of vehicle location, and allow owners to share the information with law enforcement right away greatly improving the odds that vehicles will be recovered intact.
Don’t become another FBI car theft statistic. Keep your car safe and protect your investment with GPS tracking and safer handling of your vehicle key fobs.
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