Tips to stop car theft and break-ins:
Knowing the motivations of the criminally-minded person who may want to steal your car or its contents is important in preparing your defenses for such an attack.
The primary reason a person would steal a car or its contents is for personal gain. In many cases, cars are stolen by professional thieves who then sell the vehicles to "chop shops" that dismantle the car and sell it for parts. Others may steal a car to try to sell it. Finally, there are those who steal a car for kicks and a joy ride.
Vehicles are often broken into for things inside, such as a cell phone, briefcase or anything else in view. High priced car radios are a hot item. These things may be sold, but often they are for personal use by the thief or traded for drugs.
Before leaving your parked car, take the following precautions to reduce the possibility of having it stolen or broken into:
• If you have the ability to do so, store your car in a closed and locked garage.
• Always remove the keys, roll up the windows, and lock the car. Any valuable items which can be removed should be taken into the house. If valuables must be left in the car, KEEP THEM OUT OF SIGHT. Mount tape decks, CB radios, car phones, etc., inconspicuously. Whenever possible, use mountings that allow you to take the equipment with you. Be sure to remove automatic garage door openers from the car, as this could give thieves easy access to your house.
• If your car is stored in a carport or parked near your house, leave your exterior lights on (front and back) throughout the night. Consider replacing the light fixture closest to your car with a motion detector unit. The light will be off routinely, but will come on if the car is approached. Motion detectors are good psychological deterrents since the normal assumption of a person seeing a light come on is that someone has seen them.
Consider adding a car alarm system, but remember to be neighborly and respond to the alarm promptly should it be set off. If the alarm system has a motion detector, look for a system in which the sensitivity of the motion detector can be adjusted or even switched off when needed. False alarms can result in both you and your neighbors ignoring the alarm, or may tempt you to leave the alarm off.
The sound of breaking glass may mean a car theft is occurring. Be sure to look in the direction of the sound and observe as much as you can while reporting the sound to the police.
Ways that encourage theft are to leave your keys in the ignition, leave the doors unlocked, park in a secluded area and leaving something of value in plain view inside the automobile.
In order for a criminal to steal your car or its contents, he must first break into the vehicle, if it is locked. Ways to discourage that break-in--and thus the theft--are to lock the doors, have a visible alarm system, and/or have a visible extra locking system. Also, parking in a secure or well-lit area can help to prevent a break-in.

Lt. Judson Beedy
Daphne Police Department