Good to know! Get in the Driver’s Seat Car Security and Personal Property Kroll’s Investigators speak to thousands of consumers every year who find themselves victimized by or vulnerable to identity theft after a vehicle break-in. Why? Because they left personal property such as purses, wallets, briefcases, or backpacks that contained personally identifiable information inside their vehicle. In many cases, a thief that breaks into your car isn’t after the car at all—rather, he or she is after your valuables inside that might very well be in plain sight. Those valuables can be much more than just cash—they can be, checkbooks, drivers’ licenses, employee identification and much more. We’ve even heard from some individuals who’ve lost a whole host of unusual but sensitive documents, such as birth certificates and personnel files, all because they were kept in a car. Keeping personal information in your car may seem convenient, but it isn’t very secure. Consider the following insights: » Thieves continue to find ways around your efforts to secure your vehicles, so don’t rely on your car’s security devices to protect belongings from being stolen. NBC’s Jeff Rosen recently reported that some thieves have a device that works like a remote key that allows them to open some car doors without any commotion. » You may unwittingly leave signs that you have property hidden in the car. Such signs include chargers and adapters for your electronic devices, suction cup marks on the windshield where a GPS was attached, and visible handles of a poorly hidden purse. » Thieves look first for items in plain sight, so there is benefit to taking steps to protect your valuables and secure your car. » Thieves may actually target cars parked in places such as your driveway, a house of worship parking lot or somewhere else that feels safe because they know you might be less protective of your belongings in those places. Don’t succumb to a false sense of security based on a location. » Most auto insurance will not cover the theft of personal property from a vehicle, although the victim’s homeowner’s or renter’s policy may. If the break-in and property theft leads to identity theft then the costs and long-term effects can be much higher than the loss of a purse or briefcase. To keep your car a safe haven, heed the following best practices: - Our advice is to not leave personal property inside under any circumstances. If you must, then be sure to lock your car. Nationwide Insurance reported that almost one-fourth of thefts from vehicles are from unlocked cars. - Close windows and sunroofs. - Hide anything of value that you must leave in the car including loose change, MP3 players, shopping bags, etc. —items that might entice a thief. It’s also a good idea to hide items that signal something more valuable might be in the car (i.e. chargers, remotes, etc.). - If you’re going shopping at multiple locations, place your purchases in the trunk before leaving the store’s parking lot or garage each time so to not draw attention to those items in the next location. - Park is a well-lit area that has a lot of pedestrian or vehicle traffic. - Don’t leave items containing your personally identifiable information in your vehicle.
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 12:20:00 +0000
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