Think your Car is Safe from Theft? Guess again!

What do a 1995 Honda Civic, a 1991 Honda Accord, and a 1989 Toyota Camry have in common with a 1997 Ford F-150 and a 1994 Chevy C/K 1500 pickup? You guessed correctly if you said they all top the list for the most stolen cars in the US over the last two years! Surprisingly, auto thieves do not typically target the new cars with all the bells and whistles, instead preferring the somewhat more innocuous and less visible older car. The reason thieves target older vehicles are varied:

· These vehicles provide the best market for parts resale.

· Older cars do not have the newest security features and therefore it’s easier to circumvent security.

· There are a greater number of older cars on the road; their theft is less conspicuous and less expected.

· Drivers become more complacent as their cars age, and are more likely to leave cars open and unprotected.

According to a 2006 NICB statistic, a car is stolen every 26.4 seconds. Though auto theft is on the decline overall, current economic conditions suggest crime rates are expected to soar in coming months as people become more desperate. In addition, even though auto theft has been on the decline, it still represents the most expensive form of property crime in the US today.

The NICB offers the idea of "layered protection" for your vehicle. Thieves will steal whatever they can if given sufficient time, so the idea is to fortify your car with as many “layers” as you can and within the scope of your budget. The more layers of protection you add, the more difficult your car will be to steal since thieves will be more likely to move on to an easier target.

1. Common Sense - On cold winter days, nearly every one of us has been guilty of leaving the car running with the doors unlocked as we run back into the house for a forgotten item. And during the hot summer months, who doesn’t leave their windows open slightly in order to keep the car cooler? Thieves pick up on these visual cues and recognize when your car is most vulnerable. Since it takes an experienced car thief only about a minute to gain access to your car, they will be in and out before you know it. Always lock doors, close windows, and remove keys and valuables from your car. No matter how quick the trip.

2. Warning Device – Visual cues are important to preventing theft. Don’t keep thieves guessing; let them know you have anti-theft devices installed to deter the theft and vandalism of your vehicle. Car alarms are the most obvious audible cue, however steering column locks (clubs), decals, and identification stickers that are visibly located are all clues to a thief that your car is going to require a great deal of work to steal.

3. Security Films - Once a thief is in your vehicle - even if they cannot steal it - they can do a lot of damage. It’s therefore imperative to stop them from ever getting in by installing security window films such as VehicleGARD that make the glass harder to break. Even after several forceful blows, the criminal will likely abandon any attempt and move on because they will simply be creating too much attention-getting noise. The key is to keep intruders out in the first place.

4. Immobilizers - Kill switches and smart keys prevent thieves from hot wiring your car in the event they do gain access to your vehicle. Though typically costly, some insurance companies offer a reduction in insurance rates for those who install immobilizers.

5. Tracking Device - If you have followed all of the previous suggestions, it will be very unlikely your car will even be a target, let alone actually stolen. Tracking devices are a last resort that help recover your stolen vehicle.

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Protect Your Valuables this Holiday Season - Six Tips to Protect Your Purchases from Theft

Picture this scenario: you're at your local mall doing all the holiday shopping you can without the kids. Between shops you like to run out to your car and drop your gifts into the trunk - out of view of pesky thieves, but also out of your tired arms for a more enjoyable afternoon. How many other shoppers have the same idea? Thieves know people are laden with gifts during the holiday season and whether they play the odds or stake out the lot, they know most people have valuable items stored in their cars at this time of year. A thief can easily break a window and since it takes only a matter of seconds, they'll be in and out before being detected. What can you do to protect yourself?

Thankfully thieves are opportunistic - if it's not easy, chances are good they won't waste their time. These tips will help reduce the likelihood of your car being targeted during the holidays.

1. VehicleGARD - There is an automotive glass protection film called VehicleGARD that acts as an invisible coat of armor strengthening the vehicle's glass. It can make your car windows virtually impenetrable to repeated strikes which will significantly increase the time required to get into your vehicle. If your car is protected with VehicleGARD, the thief is more likely to simply give up and move on to an easier target. Car alarms can deter theft, unfortunately they are often perceived as white noise and another pesky car alarm. Your safest bet to preventing theft is a combination of VehicleGARD in conjunction with a car alarm.
2. Park Close to the Entrance - Parking in high traffic areas such as near a mall entrance will deter thieves since they don't want to chance anyone happening by.
3. Park in Well Lit Areas - Unfortunately during the holidays, you're lucky to get a spot at all in the mall. Your next safest bet is to park under the lights - burglars will feel like they're in the spotlight and will seek an easier target.
4. Lock Your Doors - If you don't lock your car, you may as well just give your items away. Car locks are your first line of defense: an open door provides the perfect opportunity for a thief to get in your car with little or no effort or detection.
5. Shop First, Buy Later - Consider finalizing purchases on your way out of the mall. Bring a notebook and jot down all the stores you'll want to revisit to pick up larger, hard to carry items. Otherwise your options are to take packages to the car (potentially in view of thieves staking out the lot), or carry around myriad parcels that can easily be set down and forgotten or dropped unnoticed.
6. Hide Valuables Left in Your Car - If you must store gifts and other valuables in your vehicle, make sure the items are stowed in shopping bags or unmarked bags that camouflage the item's true value. Store as many of your packages as possible in the trunk, covered under blankets.

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VEHICLEGARD™ FRAGMENT RETENTION WINDOW FILM HELPS KEEP THIEVES AND CARJACKERS OUT

In the United States today, a car is stolen every 29 seconds. Violent carjackings, and content theft of vehicles is also on the rise. VehicleGARD helps to give you the precious seconds to escape dangerous situations and make your car more difficult to steal. The same fragment retention film used to protect law enforcement and military vehicles against riots, vandalism, and small ballistic attacks is now offered to the general public.
VehicleGARD™ automotive fragment retention film offered exclusively by ShatterGARD® and is applied directly to interior portion of automotive glass working like an invisible coat of armor, strengthening the automobile's "weakest security link" – the glass. VehicleGARD™ window film makes your vehicle glass virtually impenetrable to flying rocks, tire iron, and even Molotov cocktails or small explosive devices. VehicleGARD™ is also highly shatter-resistant: in the unlikely event that a window is broken, VehicleGARD™ helps holds all the pieces of broken glass together, protecting vehicle occupants from razor sharp flying glass, as well as denying entry to a potential thief or assailant.
The film is optically clear and distortion free, and filters up to 98% of harmful UV radiation, protecting vehicle interiors and sensitive equipment, and is also available in privacy tinted film that reduces glare and heat gain by up to 45%. VehicleGARD™ is ideal for cars, motorcycles, vans, buses, commercial fleets, and limos.

VehicleGARD™ automotive window security film is available through ShatterGARD®. For more information and to check out their entire line of products, visit www.shattergard.com



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NEW VEHICLEGARD™ AUTOMOTIVE SECURITY WINDOW FILM HELPS MAKE GLASS STRONGER

The same security window film used to help protect law enforcement and military vehicles against riots, vandalism, and small ballistic attacks is now offered to the general public.
VehicleGARD™ automotive security window film from ShatterGARD® is applied directly to automotive glass and works like an invisible coat of armor, strengthening the automobile's "weakest security link" – the glass. This security window film is virtually impenetrable to flying rocks, bats, and even Molotov cocktails and small explosive devices. VehicleGARD is also highly shatter-resistant: in the unlikely event that a vehicle window is broken, VehicleGARD™ helps hold all the pieces of broken glass together, protecting vehicle occupants from razor sharp flying glass, as well as denying entry to a potential thief or assailant.
The film is optically clear and distortion free, and filters up to 98% of harmful UV radiation, protecting vehicle interiors and sensitive equipment, and is also available in tinted film that reduces glare and heat gain by up to 45%. VehicleGARD™ is ideal for cars, motorcycles, vans, buses, commercial fleets and limos.

VehicleGARD™ automotive window security film is available through ShatterGARD®. For more information and to check out their entire line of products, visit www.shattergard.com.

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