How Technology is Changing Vehicle Theft and What You Can Do About it!

According to Statistics Canada, motor vehicle theft has declined by 62% in the last twelve years, since 2003. However, despite this encouraging trend, vehicle owners still need to be vigilant in protecting their property. Aside from the personal hassle you experience when your car is stolen, auto theft contributes to higher insurance rates for all drivers across Ontario. And unfortunately for Ontario residents, Ontario has the highest insurance premiums in Canada.Another thing to keep in mind: As vehicles become more technologically advanced, thieves are also advancing their thieving skills, using technological advancements and tools to beat new anti-theft systems. So while we might enjoy the ease of entry into a vehicle with a keyless entry system, this ‘improvement’ appears to make it easy for thieves to gain access to your vehicle with a simple $20 tool they can purchase on the internet.To keep your vehicle, and the property you keep inside your car, protected, try out some of these new tips and tricks to combat technological advances in auto safety and burglary!

1. If your vehicle has keyless entry: Place your key fob in a closed metallic box or in your freezer to protect your key from possible intervention from a signal amplifier. Learn more about this here: http://usat.ly/1IpAFpJ.

2. Park near similar types of vehicles as yours. Thieves are less likely to target a vehicle when it is surrounded by similar targets than if it stands out.

3. Don’t leave registration documents that contain a key code in any compartment of your vehicle. Personal information can be stolen and used for identity theft.

4. Consider installing security etching, which permanently marks each window of your vehicle with an identification number, making it more difficult to re-sell.

While no one tip or trick will ensure the safety of your vehicle, you are putting your best effort forward to deter thieves from damaging or stealing your vehicle by trying the ones we’ve suggested!