You’re familiar with the story of the Grinch, right? The grumpy, green Grinch who stole all the presents and Christmas from the Whos of Whoville? Well, unfortunately, there are Grinches in real life too, and their favorite time of year is the holidays when there are expensive presents to steal. We’ve gathered some tips to make sure you don’t fall victim to the Grinch this holiday season.
Install a car alarm on your vehicle. A car with an alarm system will obviously alert you to any attempted break-ins so that you can stop it or it can just scare off the burglar. Or if you can’t afford to do that, try to get a sticker that says your vehicle is protected by a certain alarm system. This will ward off thieves.
Replace any broken or cracked windshield/windows. Don’t make it any easier to break into your vehicle. If you have a busted or shattered window, replace it immediately. Even if you just have a crack in your window or windshield, this could compromise the strength and make it easier for a thief to break it and get into your vehicle.
Don’t leave your purse or other valuables in your car. When you leave items in your vehicle in plain sight, you’re showing a burglar what they could get. It’s basically convincing someone who may be indecisive about breaking into your car. When they see your purse, your wallet, or your designer shopping bag, they see money. If you leave your six-hundred dollar iPhone on the seat while you’re in the grocery store, someone will break into your car just to resell it. Keep that in mind and hide anything valuable that you don’t want to take inside with you in the trunk or under the seats.
Park in well-lit areas. This goes for anytime of the year. No matter what season, what holidays are approaching, it’s always scary to walk to your car in the dark. You’ve heard the horror stories of people hiding under the car and grabbing your ankles, or just generally sneaking up on you because it’s pitch black. Never put yourself in that situation because you stand to lose more than your holiday presents or the cash in your wallet. Burglars also gravitate towards vehicles in darker areas because they’re less likely to be seen.
Always lock your doors. This may be another obvious tip but it never hurts to remind you! Always, always lock your car doors. Even if you think you live in a safe, honest neighborhood. Lock your doors! Seeing a car with unlocked doors is almost more enticing than seeing one with a brand new Michael Kors bag in the back. Not only will they scrounge through your car for something to steal, but they may hotwire your car and take the whole thing!
Because we’re all out buying our loved one’s gifts from October to December, people are especially susceptible to theft during this time. And while the holidays are a targeted time for theft, you should keep these tips in mind all year long.
Do you have a good tip to avoid any break-ins this holiday season? Tell us in the comments below!
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