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You are running late for work, hustling to get yourself out the door and then you spot it, the broken glass or a car door open and your heart sinks. You rush over to your vehicle to find it rummaged through. A flood of emotions hits you. You blame yourself for not locking your car or for leaving valuables on the back seat. You feel violated, angry, sad and vulnerable. You call the police, make a report and hope for the best, but most of the time, the criminal is never caught. Unfortunately, this is a scenario that is playing out every night around Metro Atlanta. What feels like a safe neighborhood to you, is a gold mine for car burglars and thieves. The good news; crime is preventable.
Burglars are opportunist. Most car burglars are looking for an easy opportunity to grab goods quickly. The best offense to prevent your vehicle from being broken into is by taking preemptive measures to reduce a burglars chance of an easy break-in. After 20 years in the security system industry, our team of professional installers has seen many economic and crime cycles. Here is our top 10 list to prevent your car from being victimized no matter what part of Metro Atlanta you call home.
Top 10 steps to prevent a car break-in:
1. The most obvious tip, lock your doors! We get it, your hands are full, you have pets, kids or a ringing phone distracting you, but locking your car doors every time you exit your vehicle is a must. Burglars simply go car to car seeing if a door opens. When it does, they grab what they can and move to the next.
2. Don’t leave anything in your car that you wouldn’t want stolen. Whether it’s a picture of your mother or an expensive laptop, take it inside.
3. Be careful not to leave valuables in sight such as cash in cup holder or electronics on seats.
4. Make sure your windows are up to prevent a burglar from reaching into the car to unlock it.
5. Don’t leave your keys in your car. Sounds silly, but new keyless car fobs easily fit into cup holders and get forgotten.
6. Park as close to buildings or under lighted areas as possible and avoid secluded, dark spaces.
7. Don’t leave a garage door opener on your visor. It’s a beacon of opportunity to break into your car to get into your home. Either program it into your cars smart system, if you have one or lock it in the glove box.
8. Install a basic motion flood light or an enhanced security camera flood light such as Rings.
9. Take it a step further and have a professionally installed, hardwired system that will alert, record in high definition and provides additional footage for police.
10. Join or create a neighborhood watch. The more eyes working together to keep each other safe, the better.
Burglaries and crime are a part of life. Not all crime can be eradicated, but by taking simple, preventative steps, crime can be deterred. Take preventative measures such as always locking your car doors and turn them into life habits. You will greatly reduce the opportunity for criminals to break into your vehicle by being a less desirable target. For assistance with any security system installation call CFA Security & Low Voltage at 770-864-7891!