Vehicle theft is a problem in many cities across the country. To reduce your risk of becoming a victim, it is important to understand the different ways that thieves target cars and trucks. As a business, you can help protect your vehicles by taking a few simple steps.
Educate Yourself
First, educate yourself and your employees on the common methods of vehicle theft. Common methods may include stealing keys, using stolen keys, or breaking into the vehicle and hotwiring it. Understanding how a thief might target a vehicle can help you prepare for it.
Secure Your Vehicle
Second, secure your vehicles. This includes parking in well-lit areas, installing visible anti-theft devices such as steering wheel locks, speaking to Ghost 2 immobiliser experts, using a tracking system if you have one, and locking the car doors. Also, make sure to never leave valuables inside the car, as this increases the risk of theft.
Monitor and Report Suspicious Behaviour
Third, monitor and report suspicious behaviour. Report any suspicious activity to the police immediately. Look out for people looking at cars and trying door handles, or someone tampering with a car in a parking lot.
Educate All Employees
Often, employees can be targets of vehicle theft. Educate your employees on the safety precautions to mitigate the risk of their vehicle getting stolen. Additionally, employers can provide employees with car safety devices to further protect their vehicles. For example, offer training on proper car locking techniques, provide employees with steering wheel locks, and remind them to always lock their vehicles when not in use.
While you can control what happens to your vehicles at the premises, you can’t control what happens to them when they leave your premises. To further reduce the risk of theft, ensure that all employees know how to properly secure their vehicles. This includes parking in well-lit and secure areas, always closing windows after exiting the car, and using anti-theft devices.
Install CCTV Cameras
Installing CCTV cameras can be an effective way to stop or reduce the risk of vehicle theft. Positioning cameras, such as dome cameras or other types of CCTV cameras in and around parking lots will deter potential thieves from targeting vehicles parked in these areas. Furthermore, if your parking area has access control systems you can further improve its security levels by requiring users to enter a code or scan a card to gain access.
Utilize Vehicle Tracking Technology
Using vehicle tracking technology is another way to help reduce the risk of theft; this can include GPS tracking devices or even more sophisticated solutions such as telematics. Telematics systems can provide real-time data on a vehicle’s location, as well as alerts when the vehicle is moved without authorization. This information can be used to both recover stolen vehicles quickly, as well as deter potential thieves from attempting to steal them in the first place.
Avoid Simple Mistakes
All in all, company vehicles and fleet drivers should take basic precautions to help reduce the risk of theft. This may include avoiding leaving valuable items in plain sight or not leaving vehicles running unattended. What’s more, drivers should strive to be aware of their surroundings and look out for any suspicious behaviour or persons.
Park Smartly
Finally, parking in well-lit areas with plenty of people around can help dissuade potential thieves. Also, drivers should always make sure their vehicles are locked and secure. In the end, taking the right measures and following common sense can go a long way in reducing the risk of vehicle theft.
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