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Close all windows, lock all
doors and take the keys with you. In Connecticut, almost 25
percent of stolen vehicles had the keys in them.
-
Never hide a second set of
keys anywhere on or inside your vehicle. Thieves often rummage
through a car before taking it. They WILL find a hidden key.
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Never leave your vehicle
running, even if you will only be gone for a minute, or warming it
up in your driveway; vehicles are commonly stolen at convenience
stores, gas stations, driveways, and ATMs.
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Park in well-lighted areas.
Over 70 percent of vehicle thefts occur at night.
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Park in attended or heavy
traffic lots.
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Do not become complacent
because you drive an older-model vehicle. Older
cars can be resold quickly or stripped for parts. A vehicle's
parts are worth two
to three time the value of the car.
-
Be sure your anti-theft
devices are activated.
-
Owners who use a steering
wheel lock like "The
Club" are four times less likely
to be a victim of auto theft.
-
Vehicles equipped with a
Lojack anti-theft system have over
a 90 percent
chance of being recovered (compared to the national recovery average
of
61 percent). Hartford Police have several cruisers equipped
with
LoJack tracking capability, and have had great success in tracking and
recovering
vehicles quickly after they are reported stolen.
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It is wise to have your
ignition changed to a newer unit if you own a late 80's
to early 90's Honda, Nissan, Acura, or Toyota product. Weak
ignitions in
these vehicles are very easy to defeat. These vehicles are
very easy to defeat.
These vehicles account for over 70 percent of cars stolen in
Hartford.
-
A hidden "fuel kill"
ignition switch costs pennies and is a very effective method
in disabling your vehicle.
-
Disable your battery
terminal or ignition fuse when parking your car for
extended periods of time.
