Car thefts have been on the rise in the D.C. area — so what can you do to avoid becoming a victim? There are a few gadgets you can add to your car to reduce your chances.
"It is always important to have some type of security to protect your investment," said Jeff Dawkins, the owner of charged up customs in Rockville, Maryland.
Dawkins specializes in anti-theft devices for vehicles and says his business stays busy due to the uptick in crime.
"I got more requests for alarm systems due to, you know, theft or … even just wanting to keep track of your car just to make sure things don't go wrong overnight," he said.
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And a lot can go wrong, which is why some new vehicles have factory tracking devices. But Dawkins says you can’t solely rely on those.
"When cars are stolen, the first thing that is done is to disable the battery. Disabling the battery will pretty much disable all the electronics in the car, including whatever factory tracking devices were installed from factory," he said.
GPS tracking devices
Consider getting a separate GPS tracking device with a built-in battery that can last several hours, so you can track your vehicle even if the car battery is disabled. We found several different types of vehicle tracking devices, ranging from $25.99 to $150, but most seemed to require a subscription.
If you’re on a budget, you can use Apple AirTags. They may not always be accurate GPS tracking devices, but they can be an affordable solution.
Dashcams
To keep an eye on your car, consider a dashcam. While you might think of them as something for drivers to have a record of any crashes, they can also work as anti-theft devices.
Dashcams capable of motion detection, multiple camera angles and parking monitor sensors are easily found online and are affordable. But there are dashcams like the ones Dawkins installs that offer a higher level of protection.
"If someone closes your door, hits your car, or bumps into it, and it turns itself back on," he said.
The dashcam can record what's happening for about 30 seconds to a minute and will save it to the cloud for you.
But keep in mind that cameras that offer cloud storage rely on internet connections to upload the footage and could have a subscription cost.
Ignition kill switches
Another great option is an ignition kill switch: "Once they turn the car off, they won't be able to start it back up again," Dawkins said.
The kill switches Dawkins installs range from $50 to $200 before installation, and they also require a subscription.
All-inclusive systems
Then there are the all-inclusive systems that have trackers, cameras, sirens, kill switches — but those could run several hundred dollars, depending on how many features you add.
"You can add sensors, sensors that detect, you know, glass breaking, jacking if your car's being towed away," Dawkins said.
When the system detects something is wrong, a notification will be sent to your phone. But for those who can't break the bank, affordable ideas such as window tinting and steering wheel locks also could make a difference in deterring a thief.
More quick tips
There are also a few common-sense things you can do to try to avoid becoming a victim:
- First, never leave anything of value in your car. Always take your wallet, keys and phone.
- As soon as you get in your car, lock the doors.
- Park close to entrances and well-lit areas
- And trust your gut. If you see someone walking around who seems suspicious, go back inside or stay in your car and until the person leaves.
And if you're being carjacked:
- Give up your car.
- Avoid verbal and physical altercations.
- If there's a child in the car, tell the carjacker, "My child is in the car."
- Call 911 as soon as you can.
The bottom line: These types of crimes are crimes of opportunity, so make sure you don’t make it easy on them.
