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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