Do you want to keep your car safe? Then you should never let these items in plain sight!
It might not seem like a big deal to leave items in your vehicle in plain sight, especially if you won’t be gone for a long time. But think again! Thieves are smart and they don’t need more than two minutes to evaluate your belongings and decide whether to break in or not.
If you want to keep your car safe and not suffer any damage, there are a few things you should hide before you get out of your vehicle, even if it’s only for 30 minutes. If you want to know what you should take with you or leave in your trunk, keep reading!
1. Shopping bags
You probably think that leaving your shopping bags in the back seat of your vehicle while you quickly leave to run an errand isn’t such a big deal. Who wants to know what you got from Costco anyway, right? Well, no.
Believe it or not, even the smallest purchases could draw a thief’s eye, and they’ll quickly imagine how to make a profit based on your purchase. Keep your car safe, do yourself a favor, and keep your groceries in the trunk or out of sight. You know what they say: out of sight, out of mind. It works like a charm here!
2. Purses and backpacks
Even though it seems obvious not to leave purses and backpacks in plain sight in the vehicle, people still do it and then complain their automobiles were broken into. Thieves know that you might carry valuable things in your purse, such as credit cards, cash, a laptop, a tablet, a cell phone, some other expensive gadgets, and even luxurious toiletries.
You want to keep your car safe and not draw attention to your backpack or purse, so make sure you take it with you each time you leave the vehicle unattended or put it in the truck at least. Do the same thing, even if it’s empty! You don’t want to attract any nosy thieves.
3. Smartphones and other gadgets
It doesn’t matter how old or cheap your gadgets are. A burglar will know exactly how to market a used product to make a profit. Besides being a pain to replace (this will be very expensive, depending on your devices), you risk your identity being compromised, especially if you store valuable information there, such as cards or home addresses.
Keep your belongings password-protected, take them with you in your bag, hide them in the glove box, or put them in the trunk if you leave your vehicle unattended. This simple tip will keep your car safe (and yourself too)!
…Speaking of confidential information, you don’t want to leave these next things in plain sight and risk burglars coming back for more!
4. Personal information and important documents
If you have any useful documents and personal information lying around in your car, you should take them with you or hide them the moment you leave your vehicle. Your passport, for instance, contains confidential information, and it can be a dream for thieves who want to steal your identity and commit crimes in your name.
Other documents that might attract thieves like moths to flames are credit card documents or Social Security checks. Keep them somewhere safe because you don’t want your money to suddenly be withdrawn from your account.
5. Medication
As you already know, medication needs to be properly stored at room temperature to work as it’s supposed to, and keeping it in your vehicle is not good. Besides the fact that high temperatures and humidity can decrease your pills’ effectiveness, burglars who suffer from substance abuse might be drawn to it. And you don’t want them to remember your car and then break in again, right?
If you want to keep your car safe, here are some additional tips for you:
Besides risking having important belongings stolen from your vehicle due to improper storage, thieves could also steal your entire automobile, which will surely draw a hole in your budget. We’ve talked to professionals about the things that make your car more likely to be a victim, and here’s what we found out:
Parking location
Did you know that one thing that attracts thieves more to your car is the place you park it? Potential robbers will find it easier to target you if you park in your driveway or on the street.
Studies say roughly 30% of vehicles are stolen off the road, compared to only 1% of automobiles taken from garages. As you can tell, the garage is the safest place to park your automobile, but make sure you lock it every time.
Unfortunately, not everyone has access to a garage or driveway, particularly city dwellers. If parking on the street is your only option, be careful to lock your vehicle, park in a well-lit place, and bring everything you need inside.
Whether you lock your home or not
If burglars notice your car in your driveway and fancy taking it, they will pay attention to your home. They will quickly check your front, back, or patio doors to see whether they can break in or not. If so, they’ll enter your house covertly, search for your car keys, and leave in a matter of minutes—often without you noticing anything.
Make sure to lock all of your outside doors, especially the garage entry door. If you have glass doors, consider using security film to strengthen them.
Whether your vehicle is locked or not
Other than that, never leave your vehicle unlocked or even worse, unlocked and running. Even if it’s only for a few minutes while you wait for the engine to warm up, it’s best to always be there and keep your car safe and away from potential thieves.
Don’t forget to take all of your important things with you, close the windows, lock the doors, and take the keys with you home. If you want to keep your car safe all the time, I suggest getting this alarm system.
Until next time, here’s another useful article from Urban Cars Blog: 6 Cheap BMWs That Have the Potential to Become Collectibles
