Sports cars are coveted items and it is not surprising thieves too often target these valuable vehicles. There is a steady market for professional car thieves willing to steal sports cars. Meanwhile, joy riders and other potential car thieves seem uniquely attracted to a beautiful sports car. There is, of course, no way to guarantee you will not be victimized by a car thief, but there are measures you can take to reduce the risk of having your sports car stolen. These five tips, if followed, should significantly decrease the likelihood of car theft.
Location, Location, Location
The mantra of “location, location, location” is common to the real estate industry. The location of a piece of real property determines, in large measure, its value. Location is also important when it comes to car theft. One should take steps to avoid leaving their sports car unattended in locations where a theft is more likely.
For instance, one should strive to use secured parking areas. Monitored lots and garages deter car thieves. If a monitored parking area is unavailable, it is wise to seek out parking locations that are well lit and clearly visible to others. Privacy is the thief’s best friend, so parking in that remote nook or cranny increases the risk of wrongdoing.
Key Control
Although it is extremely simple and intuitive, taking your keys with you when you exit the car is the best way to reduce theft risk. One should take their keys with them whenever they are leaving the car—even if it is only for a quick run in and out of somewhere where the car remains in your sight.
Most car thefts are, in large measure, crimes of opportunity. To a potential thief, nothing screams opportunity like dangling keys in the ignition. Don’t tempt the sports car thief; take your keys with you.
A corollary to this hint is the reminder that one should never leave their car running, even on the iciest of days. You may relish returning to a toasty car from your quick errand, but a few seconds of chilliness is surely worth suffering through if the alternative is a stolen vehicle.
Hide the Goodies
Having your entire car stolen and driven away is the ultimate car theft nightmare. Having valuable objects taken from within the car runs a close second. In some cases, a thief’s desire to nab your awesome sound system may even inspire him to “borrow” the car until he can get it to a quiet place to perform the stereo removal. In other cases, sports car owners can suffer from broken windows or damaged locks when a thief has entered a car in search of a visible valuable item.
When exiting your car, do a quick scan for any items that may hold an attraction for a thief and get those items out of plain view. Trinkets as trivial as a cheap watch or a few CDs may attract the attention of break-in artists, so don’t assume what is of little value to you will be uninteresting for a thief.
It’s a good idea to purchase stereos with removable front plates or that are otherwise disguisable so as not to encourage theft. It’s also been found that one can reduce the likelihood of break-ins by making the interior a little less visible. For some sports cars, tinted windows may be both a great look and a theft deterrent. A simple fold-up sunscreen can protect your car from both harmful ultraviolet rays and prying eyes.
Present Small Challenges
Car thieves work fast because their “career” requires it. The longer a thief has to wrangle with a vehicle, the more likely he is to bail out of his mission. If a thief can ascertain quickly that a job will take more than a few minutes, he is likely to pass on by. As such, it is a great idea to take small measures that will make theft less convenient.
If you have the opportunity to parallel park between two other cars, take it. By making your car less capable of a quick getaway, you reduce the risk of theft. Additionally, being in the proximity of others will make the act of stealing your sports care more visible, which is very unattractive to thieves.
Small internal adjustments can also be a nice additional deterrent. If you have tilt steering, you may want to set the wheel at its lowest point, making quick access to the driver’s seat more difficult. Setting the parking brake can and turning wheels toward the curb in a street-parking situation can also help. Some people have gone so far as to pull their seatbelt over the steering wheel after parking, hoping the time required to access the driver’s seat will be lengthened enough to turn a thief off.
Use of items such as “the Club” can also help. Even if these locking mechanisms are not foolproof, they do add to the time required to steal a sports car. A potential thief, who needs to finish the act quickly and quietly, may see something as simple as a wheel lock as just enough of a time-water to dissuade him from attacking your sports car.
Alarms do Work
There is a growing belief that car alarms have become so commonplace that they are no longer effective. How many people even look in the direction of an alarm these days? It is true that car alarms no longer possess the novelty value they once had, but they still can act as a deterrent to car theft.
Thieves do not want any attention called to their activities. Although many of us ignore the beeps and sirens of alarms, many people will still look when they hear an alarm. Even if an alarm’s effectiveness is less than 100%, it increases the attention drawn to the act of car theft, and that can be enough to discourage break-in. Additionally, disarming the alarm will take time, and as we have noted, speed is key to the sports car thief. Car alarm installation is still a best bet for sports car protection.
You can never guarantee your sports car will remain safely in your possession at all times. A gorgeous sports car can seem almost irresistible to a thief, after all. Remembering these five pointers, however, can minimize the risk of theft significantly.
