Filed under Apartment Safety on October 1st, 2008:
Avoid Car Break-ins: Apartment Car Safety Tips
Too many Americans each year return to their cars to find their windows shattered and property taken. Radios, GPS units, money and valuables are often the objectives of car theft perpetrators. It happens more often than you think and unfortunately it is usually only a matter of time before it happens to you or someone you know. As with anything else though, following certain safety tips can reduce the likelihood of becoming the victim of car theft or vandalism.
Park In Well-Lit Areas
The first tip is really dependent on the parking situation at your Grand Rapids apartments. If at all possible, always park in a well-lit area within sight of your apartment. This can be difficult though in some apartment lots as spots are often randomly assigned or located in a garage. When you are signing up for a space or renewing your space, ask about what additional spots they may have available in better-lit areas. Getting on the list for a garage is the ideal parking situation, but the additional cost can be substantial.
In an apartment parking lot or driveway where you have some control over the lighting and/or security situation, installing motion sensitive lights near your parking spot can dissuade any potential thieves by putting a spotlight on their crime.
Shove It Under Your Seat
Much of preventing car theft is reducing the enticement to steal in the first place. Do this by keeping your car empty of valuable or potentially valuable things. Don’t leave CDs, jewelry, cash or even papers in plain sight. Important banking documents in the back seat of a car make it just as appealing of a target as cash for perpetrators of identity theft.
Whenever possible, disconnect and store stereo faceplates, DVD players and GPS electronics. Take them down and lock them in the glove compartment or in the center compartment as to reduce the bounty a potential thief could expect from the car.
If for any reason you need to keep something of value in the car overnight, cover the items with a blanket or clothing so they are not as easily identifiable. Even just remembering to move the items from the back seat to the trunk can make all the difference.
It’s a combination of ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ and commonsense when it comes to avoiding car break-ins. Don’t entice thieves with property left overnight and always try to park in the safest area in the most well lit and frequented spot.