|
 Apparently, California is home to more than its share of car thieves.
The 2010 report released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau in June 2011 shows that, of the twenty U.S. cities with the highest car theft rate, ten are in California.
The NICB reported that, while car theft was down 7.2% nationwide last year, the crime is most prevalent in California because stolen vehicles can be easily moved to Mexico or shipped in containers to Asian countries via area ports.
Here are the California cities that ranked in the top twenty:
| Rank / City |
Rank / City |
| 1) Fresno |
7) Stockton |
| 2) Modesto |
8) Visalia-Porterville |
| 3) Bakersfield-Delano |
9) San Francisco-Oakland |
| 5) Vallejo-Fairfield |
15) San Diego |
| 6) Sacramento |
18) San Jose |
Experts are quick to point out, however, that your car can be stolen wherever you live. Here are the four “layers of protection” that the NICB recommends.
Common Sense - The common sense approach to protection is the easiest and most cost-effective way to thwart thieves. You should always:
• Remove your keys from the ignition every time you leave your car
• Lock your doors whenever you're not in the vehicle
• Park in a well-lit area
Warning Device - The second layer of protection is a visible or audible device which alerts thieves that your vehicle is protected. Examples include:
• Audible alarms
• Steering column collars
• Wheel locks
• Theft deterrent decals
• Identification markers in or on vehicle
Immobilizing Device - The third layer of protection is a device which prevents thieves from bypassing your ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some devices inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch or button is activated. Examples include:
• Smart keys
• Fuse cut-offs
• Kill switches
• Starter, ignition, and fuel pump disablers
• Wireless ignition authentication
Tracking Device - The final layer of protection is a tracking device which emits a signal to police or a monitoring station if the car is stolen. Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ “telematics” which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring. If the vehicle is moved, the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer.
Anyone with information concerning vehicle theft and/or insurance fraud can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422), by texting the keyword “fraud” to TIP411, or by visiting www.nicb.org.
|
