Good day to all!
Headquartered in Los Angeles, we at Cherub Executive Service feel that this car theft post is long overdue!
Car thieves are always out there – they are working even when we are asleep. Car thieves operate in the shadows. They lurk around waiting for the moment when our guard is low. This increases their chances of not getting caught in the act and allows them to operate during times of low visibility.
We write this article to inform the community and everyone reading this article that car theft is still a prevalent crime. Even with all of the technology that our cars are equipped with today, we continue to rely on the alarm system our car comes equipped with. While this is a safety-measure, this alone should not be the entire security system safeguarding our cars. Do not forget that technology advances every day and in order to protect our cars from the malicious software that exists, we need to continue to adapt.
Before we jump into the safety measures that one can take, we at Cherub Executive Service have searched around and found some data that you may want to review. Looking at the data provided by the Los Angeles Police Department – we can see that in the last year “Vehicles – Stolen” was the highest crime reported. The data shows a total of 25,897 total incidents in this category. Upon reviewing this statistic, the first questions we asked were:
- How can I as an individual protect my car?
- How can I protect my cars if I have more than the average person?
At the individual level
“How can I protect my car? I get home, park it, and if no travel is needed for the rest of day… I don’t see it again until the next morning for work.” If this sounds like you, then rest assured there are simple actions that you can take today that will decrease the chances of your vehicle being stolen. The first may be the most obvious one, but due to the high car theft rate, we think it is worth including. If you have access to a garage in your house, use it! Even as your car sits in your driveway – a car thief will be tempted to steal it. Because a car in a driveway is merely a car with an alarm, there is no “substantial additional effort” required on the thief’s part. Parking your car in the garage (Hopefully one with a functioning garage door), adds a new layer of security that the thief needs to bypass in order to complete his crime. We also suggest buying a simple steering wheel club. The steering wheel club will work as a deterrent before it performs its ‘intended’ purpose. Chances are, a car thief is looking for a quick job. Removing a car club will take time and increases the chances of the thief being caught. Now if the thief happens to get into your car, the club now performs its mechanical function. The club now prevents the cars steering wheel from fully turning. Unless you live in a city that consists of only straight roads, the thief wont be able to get very far with a car that will not turn. As an individual this option is a low-cost option that can prevent a lot of headache in the future.
At the larger level
“I have multiple cars – more than a handful and I can’t park them all in a garage, what should I do?” If this sounds more like you, it could be because you are an avid car collector, you have multiple cars for business purposes, or you sell cars and your inventory is how you make your living. In cases like this one we recommend surveillance and/or patrol. Investing in the protection of your assets helps prevent the sudden loss of an entire asset. A surveillance system helps deter criminals. If a criminal does not know that there is a security system in place, then it can also help identify the perpetrator and ensure the safe return of your vehicle. If the vehicles are on a car sales lot, we fully recommend a patrol service or on-premise guard. This safety measure is justified by the volume of vehicles available for damage or theft. If left unattended and without a surveillance system, a car sales lot is a gold mine for car thieves. There are new and used cars sitting all together and the owner is nowhere to be found. A physical presence is the minimum level of protection that we recommend. We believe that the presence of a guard will be the only deterrent strong enough to stop a car thief in his footsteps.
Car theft is the most common crime that the Los Angeles Police Department reported in the past year, and because of this we recommend that everyone assess their cars safety. We put a lot of value and money into our cars… let’s not let someone else enjoy them on our dime. As always, if you found this read informative and would like to see more, let us know! Share a comment with us, message us, or share it with your friends and family.