What anti theft device do i have?

With the National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month ending at the end of July, the U.S. Department of Transportation reminds drivers to be vigilant throughout the year. Each year, vehicle theft causes over $8 billion in losses to the United States. In 2023, over 1 million vehicles were stolen, an increase of 25% compared to previous years, equivalent to one vehicle stolen every 31 seconds. Big data predicts that the rate will continue to rise in the future. Although Flipper Zero (the most famous flipper on social media) was declared illegal by the government, it was taken down by Amazon and is banned in Canada. What else can we do for our own benefit?

Today, our article will offer five anti-theft methods and tips, mainly about dash cams.

Eight Causes of Automobile Theft

The problem of automobile theft has been on the rise. Understanding its causes is crucial for solving the problem. Here are the eight main factors I have summarized that contribute to this disturbing trend:

1. Economic Factors: When the economy is unstable, the unemployment rate rises, or the economy enters a recession, the financial situations of some people deteriorate, employment opportunities decrease, and life pressure increases. This might drive some individuals to turn to car theft as a way to obtain financial benefits for survival or to meet other needs.
2. Technological Advancements: With the development of technology, although the electronic systems and anti-theft technologies of modern cars are constantly upgrading, criminals are also constantly researching and cracking these technologies. Some high-end cars, due to the extremely high value of their components, have become highly sought-after by criminals and thus become the main targets of theft.
3. Social Media and Online Platforms: Nowadays, the popularity of social media and online platforms provides conveniences for criminals. They might use these platforms to exchange theft techniques, share information about potential theft targets, and even openly sell stolen vehicles or components, making theft acts more concealed and difficult to trace.
4. Urban Planning and Security Issues: In some areas, security management is relatively weak, surveillance facilities are insufficiently covered, and the safety of parking lots and streets is not guaranteed. The lack of effective patrols and supervision creates a favorable environment for theft acts, allowing criminals to carry out theft easily without being detected in time.
5. Drug Problems: The phenomenon of drug abuse is severe. Some drug addicts, in order to obtain funds to purchase drugs, do not hesitate to take risks and engage in theft activities, including car theft. The addictive nature of drugs makes them stop at nothing to satisfy their addiction.
6. Demand in the Second-hand Car Market:The demand for second-hand cars continues to increase, especially for certain popular models and brands. This, to a certain extent, stimulates theft activities. The high profits brought by the high demand give criminals an opportunity to take advantage.
7. Legal and Enforcement Efforts:If the penalties for car theft in the law are not severe enough, they cannot form an effective deterrence. At the same time, law enforcement departments might have problems such as insufficient resources, uneven distribution of police forces, or outdated technical means in combating theft, resulting in insufficient crackdown on car theft crimes.
8. Social Environment Changes: For example, the increase in population mobility makes the composition of community members more complex, and the familiarity and trust among them decrease. The decline in community cohesion also makes it easier for criminals to hide and evade supervision, increasing the possibility of theft occurrences.

Anti-theft device

Having understood the causes, we should actually realize that many factors are beyond our control. The only things we can do are prevention and retention of evidence as much as possible. Therefore, from this perspective, I will mainly introduce three effective methods to prevent your car from being stolen now.

Choose a Dash Cam with Parking Mode

The dash cam ( like Aoocci V30) with parking mode plays a vital role during the parking period of the vehicle. It can monitor the vehicle continuously for 24 hours. This means that both malicious scratches by others and attempted theft can be effectively prevented. Even if these unfortunate situations occur, the video evidence provided by the recorder is highly persuasive and can strongly assist the car owner in pursuing relevant responsibilities.

Especially when the vehicle suffers an abnormal impact or strong vibration while parked, the recorder will wake up quickly and record videos or take photos in time, clearly documenting the specific situation around the vehicle at that time. Just like the black box on an airplane, it provides crucial information when an accident occurs. For instance, after a traffic accident or other unexpected circumstances, these records can provide important and reliable bases for the police to conduct investigations and for insurance companies to handle claims.

Choose a Low-Profile Dash Cam

When it comes to safeguarding the safety of your vehicle, choosing a low-profile dash cam is a wise decision.

The inconspicuous dash cam (like our products-Aoocci V30）can effectively reduce the probability of being detected by criminals as it is in operation, thereby greatly minimizing the possibility of them deliberately damaging or avoiding the recording device. This is particularly crucial in the event of vehicle theft because tracking through the built-in GPS line of the dash cam can significantly enhance the speed and success rate of recovering the vehicle.

Due to its excellent concealment, the recorded evidence can be better preserved. Criminals find it difficult to know and destroy this evidence in advance, which significantly increases the reliability and integrity of the evidence and provides strong support for subsequent investigations and handling.

Potential criminals usually do not notice the low-profile dash cam, which may cause them to be more unscrupulous when carrying out theft. However, this also means that their illegal acts are more likely to be recorded completely and clearly, becoming undeniable evidence.

Even if criminals do not discover the dash cam and merely realize the possibility of the existence of a monitoring device, this uncertainty will also have a certain psychological deterrent effect on them, thereby reducing the probability of theft to a certain extent.

Furthermore, choosing a relatively inexpensive low-profile dash cam has another practical benefit. In case the vehicle is unfortunately stolen and the dash cam is lost along with it, the relatively low cost can also reduce your economic loss. Overall, a low-profile dash cam can play an important role in both vehicle anti-theft and evidence retention.

Practical Anti-theft Measures

When it comes to protecting our vehicles and ensuring their safety, practical measures are essential. These simple yet effective steps can significantly reduce the risk of theft and damage, providing us with peace of mind.

1. Park your car in a well-lit and busy area. Choose parking spots that are under bright streetlights or in areas with high foot traffic. This makes it less appealing for thieves to target your vehicle as they are more likely to be noticed.
2. Don't leave valuable items visible inside the car. Remove all valuable possessions, including electronics, bags, and cash. Even small items that may seem insignificant can tempt a thief.
3. Have your vehicle's VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) etched on the windows. This marking makes it harder for thieves to sell the stolen vehicle and increases the chances of its recovery.
4. Join a neighborhood watch program. Stay in touch with your neighbors and be vigilant about any suspicious activities around parked cars.

Always lock the car doors and close all windows. Make it a habit to double-check that all doors and windows are securely locked before leaving your vehicle. This simple step can prevent opportunistic thieves from accessing your car.

Conclusion

Car theft is a serious and increasingly severe problem. However, by adopting the aforementioned methods such as choosing the appropriate dash cam and taking practical safety measures, we can significantly reduce the risk of car theft and provide ourselves with strong evidence and protection in case of misfortune.

We hope everyone can attach importance to the issue of car safety, allowing our travels to be more at ease and worry-free. May every trip of ours be safe and smooth, and let our beloved cars always be by our side.