New Stats Show Your Stupidity Is The Modern Car Thief's Best Friend
Cars are more secure than ever, but there’s a rising trend in the USA for thefts involving the owner’s keys.
As bizarre as it sounds to any car guy or girl who guards their car key like it’s their first-born child, thefts where criminals have simply picked up keys when the car owner has left them lying around, or in the car itself, have risen 31 per cent between 2013 and 2015.
Whether it’s leaving the car running while grabbing a quick coffee, letting the car warm up alone outside the house, or just leaving keys on a coffee shop table while taking your cup back, thieves are increasingly taking advantage of car owners’ complacency, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). And it’s rarely just a mistake.
Winter is coming, in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway, and plenty of people still seem happy to let their car warm up unoccupied. People still leave them on their driveways and even the street to let them heat up, while they themselves retreat to the warmth their central heating made earlier.
But with California alone reporting 22,580 of these thefts using the proper keys over the three-year study period, it’s a type of crime we all need to be more aware of.
NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle said: “Anti-theft technology has had a tremendous impact on reducing thefts over the past 25 years, but if you don’t lock it up, it’s not going to help.
“Complacency can lead to a huge financial loss and inconvenience for the vehicle owner. Leaving a vehicle unlocked or with the key or FOB inside gives a thief the opportunity to take not only the car, but also any possessions inside. It can also provide access to your personal information if the registration is left in the glove compartment.
“We have reports from our law enforcement partners that car thieves have stolen the car, driven it to the residence and burglarized the home before the owner even knew the vehicle was missing.”
If that doesn’t scare you into vigilance, we don’t know what will. Stay safe out there!
Comments
And this is why America is ruined.
who in the hell thinks it’s a great idea to literally start the car to warm it up
it’s called remote start
I dont know if you’ve noticed but there are plenty of cars without remote start
Does it look like I can afford remote start or a garage?
I still have the best anti-theft device in America
There’s a video of a thief trying to steal a truck, but he didn’t know how to drive manual, it was the most amusing thing I’ve ever seen. He stalled it like 30 times while the owner watched from the ground.
This theft device wouldnt work in the uk :(
And the best thing is you can drive around like this…
No, you don’t.
Still dreaming of getting one with POWAHH
When I was leaving a restaurant the other day there was someone who left their car with the keys in the ignition and car on. Lucky I could resist the temptation, I could’ve bought a good turbo kit with that car, and probably enough extra for a new exhaust.
Definitive anti-theft device:
remember to ALWAYS lock your garage, so no one would drop this monstosity there!
The Key to not getting your car stolen, is your key
This isn’t getting enough upvotes xD
Really,
I am from Bulgaria. Our thieves love new cars, most unlocked for less than 30 seconds.
P.S. We also make the best counterfeit money :)
Get a second set of keys.
Let the car warm up. Lock it with the 2nd set and go enjoy your coffee inside.
Get a car starter.
Leave the doors unlocked.
Laugh when they press a pedal, and it stalls.
I’ve done that
Waiting for Disklok UK to reply…
Perhaps don’t let your car warm up for 30 minutes?! Really a minute would be fine. 3 out of 4 seasons of the year people start their car and begin driving when the engine is starting from 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit. But as soon as winter rolls around, “oh my car needs to be completely warm before driving in the winter” the only advantage you really get is a warm cabin, but have fun wasting all of your gas money.