Unless you are a multimillionaire, cars are the second most valuable material possessions that you will ever own. Cars are expensive. Car parts and accessories are also expensive. Some of us even keep valuable documents and items including licenses, money, laptops, cameras and smartphones in our cars. This makes cars a high-value target for theft and burglaries.
Car theft has been with us for a century and the automotive and associated industries have developed various measures and systems to mitigate car theft and burglaries. These include automatic car door lock, car alarms, car tracking devices, steering lock, and tire clamping. One increasingly popular anti-car theft solution is an in car camera or a dash camera.
Dash cameras are normally used to capture footage of landscapes, roadways, accidents, freak incidents, road rage incidents or even encounters with law enforcement officers. They are a valuable piece evidence when it comes to documenting car accidents and pursuing insurance claims. Some innovative motorists are now putting them into newer uses such as stopping car theft and car burglaries.
YouTube is inundated with thousands of video clips of thieves caught red-handed on car dash cams breaking into vehicles, stealing vehicles or stealing items from cars. There are sophisticated in-car cameras that can start recording as soon as a thief breaks into vehicle or as soon as it detects motion close to the car. Dash cams can even capture footage of burglars breaking into your house!
The Intelligent Parking Mode in Dash Cams
Some dash cams are equipped with a feature known as Intelligent Parking Mode. This feature can be activated on the Dash Cam to enable it to detect movement or G Force on or close to the vehicle. An Intelligent Parking Mode in in-car cameras will detect movement even when the ignition or the dash camera is turned off.
As soon as this mode detects movement, the in-car camera is turned on and begins recording. It is therefore able to capture a clear footage of the intruder. The even intruder will probably be unaware they are being recorded. Such footage can help police and the general public to quickly identify thieves. There are instances where some intruders have gone on to contact victims and restitute them after seeing themselves on dash camera footages shared on social media platforms.
Dash Cameras as Deterrents for Thieves
Thieves are becoming familiar with the sophistication of modern in-car cameras. In fact, some smart thieves are now consciously avoiding cars that are equipped with a dash cam. They see the in-car camera as an extra layer security and a risk that has to be surmounted. It is a risk many are finding not worth taking.
Pursue a Multi-Pronged to Car Security
While car dash cams can be effective deterrents and even help in detective work after a burglary, they may not be enough to stop thieves. When it comes to car security, it is therefore prudent to a pursue a multi-pronged approach that can physically prevent thieves from burgling your car. Some of the measures that you can undertake include the following: –
Use Car Trackers
Although some dashboard cameras are equipped with GPS, it is generally advisable to equip your car with a dedicated GPS tracker capable of reliably tracking your vehicle. The GPS hooks up to your laptop and smartphone and tracks your vehicle in real time which increases the chances of your car being recovered by law enforcement officers.
GPS trackers may be costly but installing one gives you a complete peace of mind. As soon as your car starts moving after it has been stolen, the GPS tracker will send you an alert. You will be thankful for this the day thieves pounce on your car.
Install Car Alarms
Although some thieves can quickly disable car alarms, it is still one of the most effective physical deterrents against car theft and burglary. Car alarms can quickly alert you or people in close proximity to the ongoing burglary thus helping save your car or valuables.
Avoid Leaving Valuables in Your Car
When you leave valuables such as cameras, jewelry, smartphones, money, laptops, hand bags, or any other expensive items in your car, you are as good as inviting burglars to try their luck. Burglars often peer into the vehicle to try and locate any valuables before they make their move. If you remove all your valuables from your car when you park it, you get rid of the low hanging fruits that might tempt some burglars to break into your vehicle.
Park in Brighter and Busier Areas
Burglary requires a good deal of discretion. You are less likely to see break-ins and theft of your cars when your park it in a busy and well-lit place. Burglars need space and little to no prying eyes. They steal in locations where the chances of them being seen by anyone are almost nil. That is why it is always safer to park your car in a well-lit place where there are a lot of people passing by. In cities, that often means driving over long distances to find the perfect spot. If you drive an expensive car that stands out from the crowd, this is even more necessary. For burglars, cool and expensive cars are attractive targets as the payouts could be huge.
Have a Steering Wheel Lock
If you are worried about thieves driving off with your car, invest in a steering wheel lock. Car thieves are less likely to target cars that have a steering wheel lock. They are quite cheap with many costing under $50.
Always Ensure Your Car is Locked
It is easy to park your car and walk off without locking doors. This can happen when you are too busy, a little absent-minded or suffering from fatigue. That little oversight could end up being too costly as thieves loot your car of its valuables.
When you pair up these precautions with a good in car camera to record brazen thieves who have no qualms breaking into and even stealing your cars, you generally have a foolproof car security that can help you stop and resolve all incidences of car theft and burglary.
