Laurie Marinelli Personal Insurance Manager, CPCU, CIC, AAI, AIS
Acura Integra (94’)....Chevrolet Pickup (99’)....Dodge Caravan (00’)....Dodge Ram (04’)....Ford Explorer (02’)....Ford F-150 Pickup (97’)....Ford Taurus (99’)....Honda Accord (94’)....Honda Civic (95’)....Toyota Camry (91’)
Looking at the list above, you wouldn’t think it was a list of cars that were most stolen last year…but it’s true! According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, these cars are the top ten that were stolen in 2010.
Some great news is that vehicle theft has decreased over the past few years. One main reason for the decrease is an increase in technology in newer cars. Newer cars have more options such as kill switches and GPS locaters already installed, which makes them harder to steal.
Even when you have insurance, having your car stolen can cause financial troubles and headaches. Here are a few simple steps that you can take to lower your chances of car theft and break-ins.
- Keep your car locked at all times.
- Never leave your keys in the car.
- Don’t leave your car running while you are not in it.
- Avoid leaving your car in an unsafe location if possible.
- Install a tracking device in your vehicle.
- Always activate the anti-theft alarm/system.
- Keep valuables and portable electronics out of sight.