Pinal County Attorney James P. Walsh & the Pinal County Board of Supervisors would like you to heed the advice that the Arizona Automobile Theft Authority (AATA) offers to help in curbing your vehicle being stolen.
Arizona is ranked 2nd in the nation in stolen vehicles according to the Arizona Automobile Theft Authority. Over 54,000 autos were taken in 2006. Not surprisingly, Phoenix & Tucson ranked 1 & 2 statewide by vehicle theft. Casa Grande was the highest ranked Pinal County municipality at number 11.
Because it’s the holiday season, the mall parking lots are jammed with cars. In many cases those vehicles are laden with purchases from previous stops to other stores. If you are not careful, you could become a victim of auto theft. The AATA reported that December is one of the highest months for auto theft and burglaries from vehicles.
By practicing some common sense approaches when you park your car while shopping, you can make it more difficult for a would-be robber to ruin your holiday cheer.
Here are a few ways to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of vehicle theft:
* Lock your car and take your keys with you
* Park in well lit, well traveled areas
* Do not leave your car running & unattended
* Lock your valuables in the trunk. If you don't have a trunk, bring something to cover them & keep them out of sight. If you have a truck, you may want to invest in a tonneau cover that can be locked
* Do not keep a spare set of keys in the car
* If you have a garage-use it and keep it locked at all times
* Purchase a deterrent like an alarm, steering wheel lock or brake lock
* Register your vehicle for the AATA’s free Watch Your Car Program
* Have your car window etched with your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Go to azwatchyourcar.com/ for a list of events where window etching is offered.
There are also a lot of devices that will immobilize your vehicle & stop a thief from bypassing your ignition & hot wiring your car. They include kill switches, starter & fuel disablers, smart keys, high security locks & fuel cutoff switches.
It can take a thief less than a minute to break into your car & take your possessions. Taking just a few minutes to make your car less of a target will make your holidays a brighter one & less appealing for a Scrooge waiting for their next free ride.