In the news and all over Sedalia recently, it seems like people's vehicles are getting rifled through. Sometimes people will lose very expensive items just like that. I have had it happen to me before.  Well, I didn't lose anything expensive, but people have tossed my car and taken some change or CDs. So what can you do to help prevent this from happening to you? It's actually pretty simple.

1.  Get a car alarm  - or a fake one. 

Thieves don't like light, and they don't like sounds. Basically, anything that draws attention to them, and might get them caught. If they see the blinking light of the car alarm and they're just rustling through cars for whatever is easy taking, they're probably going to move on and not bother with your car. You can buy a little blinking light at auto stores that you can fasten to your dashboard – they’re like little fake car alarms, and hey, it's a deterrent. If it looks like a car alarm, then they're probably going to pass on that car.

2.  Put stuff in your trunk. 

If a thief is particularly desperate and decides they need to break your glass to get in your vehicle, they're going to be moving quickly. I read online somewhere that it only takes about sixty seconds to break into a car.  Like I said, thieves hate sound that can get them caught, so they're not going to be sticking around long after they've busted your window.  They're going to do a snatch and run... they're not going to think about popping your trunk, too. So if there’s something that you need to leave in your car (suitcase, CDs, GPS, golf clubs, etc), just throw it in your trunk.

3. Install motion sensor lights. 

Again, light. Thieves hate it. It means someone might see what they're doing, and call the cops. But, here's an important point: make sure you have it installed up in a high spot. After all, what's stopping a thief from just reaching up and unscrewing the light? Make sure it's up above at least six feet, so it can't be tampered with. Once the light comes on, they'll move along because it's not worth the risk of getting caught.

4.  Chain down your tire. 

If you have a spare tire on the back of your truck or SUV, chain it down and make the chain visible. Thieves can gank those tires pretty quickly and sell them. But, if there's an obvious chain, it's a deterrent for a quick getaway.

5.  Clean out your car. 

If you've got stuff in your car that's easy to take, get rid of it or put it out of sight. Don't leave change in the cup holder.  If you have your car unlocked, and you leave change out for them to see, they're going to take it. And once they're in, they're going to take anything else that might be of any kind of value. And now you’ve got a broken window or door, you're gonna be put out. You're going to have to call your insurance company all because a kid saw some loose change. Unless you're gonna go the other way and become a car pack rat so much that you’re a bit overboard(they won't want to spend the time going through everything to see what they want and what they don't), you absolutely gotta keep it empty.

Here's hoping this stuff calms down soon and you don't get your car rifled through.

Vehically yours,
Behka

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