Vehicle Theft Prevention

Be Alert

• Lock your car.
• Take your keys.
• Never hide a spare key on the vehicle.
• Roll up windows completely.
• Remove keys from ignition.
• Park in well-lighted areas.
• When parking in attended lots or parking garages, leave only the ignition key with the attendant.
• Park as close as possible to an open business.
• Do not leave valuables in sight to tempt a thief.
• Always park with the wheels turned toward the curb.
• Back your car into the driveway. If you drive forward into the driveway, a car thief could raise the hood to hot wire the car, and it would appear to the neighbors that you were just working on the car.
• If you have a garage, use it.
• Lock your garage door.
• When going out of town, if possible, remove the distributor cap or the coil wire.
• Never leave your car running while it is unattended.

If Your Car Is Stolen
Call the police. Vehicle theft should be reported as soon as possible. However, before the vehicle can be listed as stolen, you must have your vehicle's license number and/or the vehicle identification number (sometimes called VIN). Usually, an officer will take the report over the telephone. By making a report over the phone, the needed information about your vehicle can be directly entered into the Police Department's computer system. This enables officers to immediately identify your vehicle as being stolen. Stolen vehicles are sometimes used in the commission of other crimes. Quick action often results in recovery of your vehicle as well as prevention of another crime. If the criminal is apprehended, be willing to file charges. Testify in court.

Follow Up
If you recover your own vehicle, you must not touch or move your vehicle in order to preserve possible evidence. Please notify the Police Department that you reported your vehicle stolen and that you did recover your vehicle.

Identifying Your Car

• Etch the VIN on window glass trim.
• Engrave expensive accessories such as T-tops, radios, etc. with car's VIN.
• Drop a business card into the door frame.
• If possible, retain copies of all vehicle paperwork at home in a safe place.
• It is not good practice to keep the original certificate of title in the vehicle. If the car is stolen, this title can be altered easily and/or your signature can be forged.