Chris Woodyard is an auto writer for USA TODAY who covers all aspects of motoring. He revels in the exhaust note of a Maserati and the sharp creases of a Cadillac CTS. Chris strives to live a Porsche life on a Scion budget. Watch videos on cars, trucks AAA: Range of electric cars cut in cold, hot weatherMark Phelan: 2014 Toyota Highlander welcomes families with plenty of space and featuresFewer viewers paying for wider menu of cable channelsGM to invest $200 million to make new engines in FlintFed expects jobless rate to drop to 6.1% by end of yearRead all posts Detroit Free Press auto news Green Car Advisor (Edmunds) Man on the Move Test Drive (James R. Healey) USA TODAY's Cars in the News photo galleryIf you keep your car registration in the glove compartment, or anywhere else in the vehicle, you could open yourself up to a world of hurt. Read more: The surprising reason why car thefts are skyrocketing Imagine this situation: You park your car in a public lot for a night on the town.
While you’re out to dinner, thieves are looking inside cars for valuables, including garage door openers. The bad guy breaks into your car, reaches into the glove box and finds your address on your car registration. After driving to your house, the thief uses your garage door opener to gain easy access. Just like that, your precious belongings are gone. The National Insurance Crime Bureau, which strongly advises against keeping your car registration in the glove box, says this nightmare scenario is really happening across the country. "We have reports from our law enforcement partners that car thieves have stolen the car, driven it to the residence and burglarized the home before the owner even knew the vehicle was missing,” said NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle. that they haven't noticed a trend of thieves stealing garage door openers from cars to later commit home burglaries. In general, criminals are looking through cars for cash, electronics or even guns. But police say you should never leave anything in your car that could cause an extra headache if it were stolen.
"We encourage everyone to please remove all valuables and important paperwork (not only about your car or finances, but also containing your personal information) from their vehicles," said Officer L. Sajdak of the Atlanta Police Department. As far as the car registration goes, the National Insurance Crime Bureau suggests taking a picture of it on your cell phone or keeping a photocopy in your wallet. Here's another suggestion that was left on Clark's Facebook page: If you're pulled over, Atlanta police confirmed to us that an officer will accept a picture or photocopy of your registration, if they even ask for it. Usually they can verify the information on their computer. In addition, many states now allow you to show electronic proof of insurance during a traffic stop. However, you may want to keep a paper card handy in case your smartphone runs out of battery. Read more: How to stop a car thief? Hide your owner's manual!Lock It or Lose It Did you know it takes less than 30 seconds to break into a car, grab what’s in plain sight, check the usual hiding places for other items and get away?
Less if the car is unlocked, which is a whole lot of what we’re seeing in Santa Clarita. Last year, Santa Clarita had 535 car break-ins, and over 200 of those were unlocked cars! Car break-ins happen in shopping centers, office building parking lots and even while your car is parked in front of your home. Auto burglary often can be prevented with a few simple actions. The most important is to lock your car door every time. Take your valuables with you and with these two actions, you’ve just gone a long way in preventing your car from being broken into. Very few car break-ins are random – the thieves see something in plain sight that’s valuable or hints of possible hidden valuables. Leave nothing in plain sight that might make your vehicle worth investigating by a thief – not even loose coins or a CD and never a purse or cell phone. Here are 10 easy tips for you and your loved ones to use to prevent a car break-in: Don’t leave valuables in your car in plain sight or slightly hidden;
lock them in the trunk. Always lock your car when you leave it; even in front of your house. Once home, unload your valuables immediately. Do not store valuables in your car any longer than necessary. If possible, leave no trace or sign that there might be valuables such as docking stations or connector cables. These can end up costing you hundreds of dollars to replace a broken window because the thief wanted to check your car for “hidden” valuables. Try to park in busy, well-traveled areas and well lighted areas; be aware of your surroundings. Set your alarm or anti-theft device if you have it, it can be an effective deterrent to an auto burglar who likes to choose easy targets.thieves know the best places to find them. Don’t think your dark, tinted windows hide your valuables. Thieves often use flashlights to see through tint. Just covering a valuable radio or any valuables in your car with something like a blanket or towel will probably only draw thieves’ attention—remove it when possible.
Don’t forget about your remote garage door opener in your car. That and the registration in your glove box may turn your car break-in into a home break-in as well. If you see something, SAY something! Call 9-1-1 immediately if you witness a car burglary or suspect someone is checking out cars for potential theft. Santa Clarita and Sheriff's Station to launch safety campaignSCV Signal Pledge Statistics Bowman High School: 192 pledges Canyon High School: 292 pledges Golden Valley High School: 175 pledges Hart High School: 336 pledges Saugus High School: 218 pledges Valencia High School: 219 pledges West Ranch High School: 2 pledges (click to view larger) Be Responsible Remember these FIVE to Stay ALIVE: Stay within the posted speed limits Don’t text and drive Be focused behind the wheel on driving, not other things Don’t drive if you are sleepy Encourage others to drive safely Santa Clarita Youth Grove The Santa Clarita Youth Grove is dedicated to Santa Clarita youth (24 years old and younger) who have died in traffic-related incidents, and provides a safe, centralized location for young people and community members to remember these youth.