Christmas is meant to be the season of goodwill but not everyone sees it that way. Unfortunately some people will take advantage of the distractions that Christmas brings, so while you’re trying to catch fun with your family, someone could be stealing your car.
However it’s not all doom and gloom, from my experience in recovering stolen vehicles, there are a number of ways you can protect your vehicle – here’s a simple guide to help you do just that.
Tidy up your car - If you are one of those people that leaves lots of valuable stuffs like mobile phones, wallets, laptops or even bags lying around in their car, its time to clean up your car as these attracts thief's to your car
Think about how and where you park - For those that park their cars in the street, the nights during this season is darker, so, always try to park your car at a place with light as thief's will not like to steal cars parked at a well lit environment. Also try to park your car at an awkward angle or fit it into very tight spaces. It makes it harder to steal.
And if you have a driveway in your compound, don't back into it when you park, as it will be harder and take more time for a criminal to back your car out.
Another major place to watch your parking is at wedding parties/reception and traditional marriages. some of us park our vehicles some distance from the occasion venue or at an angle that will make it easy to drive off and leave whenever they want without being blocked by others. This also makes it easy for thief's to steal your vehicle and drive it off easily. Criminals want an easy target, so don’t give them one. My advice is to park your car into very tight spaces at positions were you would be blocked from driving out easily. You can be the last person to go but go with your car
Look after your keys - Now, thanks to technology, Some model of cars especially the newer models now require the memory chip found in the car’s keys in order to make the car start. So, at that occasion, party, wedding reception, club or joints, when taking all those extra bottle of alcohol, don't forget to put your keys deep inside your pocket not on top of the table as some criminals are there waiting for opportunity to steal your car keys in order to steal your car
Peak car theft period - The peak period for car theft and snatching is between 7pm and 11pm. This is the main period where your car can be snatched from you by those dare devil robbers. If you can, just avoid driving your car at night. But if you cant, try not to stop at the road sides during this period, to buy things like recharge cards or food stuffs.
Don't ever park your car during this period and enter a road side shop or supermarket. As robbers will wait for you to come out and attack you when you are about entering your car
Lastly, it’s recommended that you install a car tracker and anti theft device. If your car is stolen, a Tracker will make it much easier for the police to find. Hopefully if you’ve done all the above, you won’t ever need to use it but it’s always good to have the extra assurance. If your car gets stolen and you don't have a tracker on board, it’s going to be much harder to find that car. Do your very best to put criminals off and don’t give them any easy opportunity.
-By Igah David
