New Year’s Day has the most car thefts
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau said that 2,347 cars were reported stolen last New Year’s Day, ranking it ahead of Memorial Day as the worst day of the year for car thievery.
The insurance group said many of the thefts result because people leave their vehicle in unusual locations during the early morning hours of the holiday because they take cabs home after a hard night of partying.
Some even forget to lock their doors. The insurance group didn’t speculate why, but maybe a few too many drinks might be one reason.
The group said New Year’s Eve partyers should consider the following ways to protect their vehicle from thieves.
1: Leave it safe at home and take a taxi both ways.
2: If you do leave your car somewhere, park it under a light, in a secure garage or a high traffic area. The insurance group said that’s safer for you and your car.
3: Make sure the car is locked and the windows are rolled up. You can also detach the battery cables before leaving the car overnight.
4: Don’t leave valuables or gifts in the car. If they are in plain sight, they can attract thieves. And even if they are hidden, they will get stolen if someone takes the car.
5: Check to see if your vehicle is GPS enabled so that it can be tracked if stolen. If not, consider a GPS tracking device. Modern devices allow you to find your car within hours, rather than after it’s been stripped for parts and abandoned outside the city limits, the group said.
RELATED:
Drivers change motor oil too often
Insurance group lists safest vehicles
Honda recalls cars with dangerous airbags
-- Jerry Hirsch
twitter.com/LATimesJerry
