Locking the car is no longer enough In a recent news story a Highway Patrol Psychological evaluator had his lap top stolen and it contained thousands of applicant’s private information including social security numbers. This is exactly what a thief is counting on-negligence! Locking the car is no longer enough protection.
Nationally the increasing numbers of documented cases of auto break-ins reveal that the thieves have more than a car stereo in mind. When a thief breaks in to a vehicle the initial crime is small in comparison with their ultimate objective; burglarizing your home and identity theft.
The vehicles with the garage door openers in plain view are also their targets as well as those that contain lap tops, pda's, briefcases, digital cameras -in plain site.
After gaining access to the vehicle the perpetrators remove the contents of the glove box and garage door openers, vehicle registration, insurance cards, cash, lap tops, pda's, digital cameras, cell phones, checkbooks -any items that are inside your vehicle are "fair game" and have value today to criminals. The vehicle’s registration for example is a "paper key" and a "roadmap" to victims front doors. Don’t let this happen to you!
Here are easy steps you can take to protect your family.
1. What is in your glove box? Take a look! Photocopy your registration, insurance cards and any other items stored in your vehicle once per year. Remove these items and place them in a different location inside the vehicle other than the most obvious place-the glove box.
2. Keep the garage door opener in your vehicle hidden from plain view.
3. Your home address should not be utilized when possible as the mailing address for vehicle registration, insurance cards or any documents kept in your vehicle. A U.S. Post Office box, mail receiving station or your office address may help keep your family safe.
4. Laptops, pda's and other digital devices should be password protected and encrypted so that a thief will not have easy access to private records information.
What you do today may save you lots of time and headaches tomorrow. For more safety tips follow Moore's Minutes by signing up here
