Even by taking all the numerous precautions to prevent auto theft when you travel, very determined professional car thieves can still manage to take any vehicle if they want it bad enough. Did you see the movie Gone In 60 Seconds starring Nicolas Cage? However, you can still dramatically lessen the odds of becoming a victim of auto theft to almost zero.

Almost all of these auto theft preventative measures are common sense and will cost nothing to do. So it may make a lot of sense to implement them not only when you travel by car on your holidays, but also in your every day driving.

To start with, you should never take for granted that you are immune from car thieves when traveling, or that your vehicle would not really be worth stealing.

Keep in mind that thieves might be after more than your vehicle, luggage, or any valuables that might be inside your vehicle. They might only want an older car to take a joy ride in or for its parts.

They might also be after your vehicle documents for identity theft, or they could be contemplating robbing your residence while you are away on holidays. Where would they find this important information? From the auto registration and car insurance papers which are usually located conveniently in the vehicles glove compartment.

The best solution is to eliminate this possibly by keeping these documents on your person at all times when traveling on holidays.

The second best way is to reduce this problem by hiding these documents really well in the trunk of your car. Some police forces in cities that have high auto theft crime incidents recommend this. Remember to tell everyone who is traveling with you where these documents are hidden in the trunk.

Here are some more ways you can lessen the chance of having your holidays ruined by car thieves. If you can manage to implement a number of these suggestions, you can dramatically lessen the odds of becoming another victim of auto theft when you travel.

Make sure you always shut you cars windows tightly and lock your car on every occasion you leave it parked, even if it is only for a minute or two.

A real invitation to lose your vehicle is leaving it idling and unattended. Its just not cool to do it. Don’t even think about doing it.

Similarly, do not leave your vehicles keys in the ignition or hidden anywhere in car, including a second set of keys. Car thieves can easily find the keys hidden in the usual places very quickly. Keep another set of keys with you.

Do not leave any thing of value in your vehicle, even if they cant be seen from the outside of your car. If you can, take them with you.

However, if you have no choice but to leave valuables in your vehicle, at least make sure that they are locked inside your trunk. When you do this, check first and look around to make sure that nobody is watching, or better still, stop, pull over, and put them in your trunk before you arrive at your intended destination. Prying eyes can be anywhere.

When parking your vehicle in public areas, turn you front wheels either to the left or right before turning your ignition off. This will engage the steering wheel locking mechanism in the steering column which can make your car a little more difficult to steal.

By engaging the emergency brake after you have parked and turned the motor off, you may also make your vehicle harder to tow away.

For front wheel and rear wheel drive vehicles you should park them somewhat differently when in an underground garage. Front wheel drive autos should be parked nose in and the rear wheel drives, nose out. Then just turn your tires to the left or right. Again, this may make your car harder to tow.

It is always better to park in an attendant supervised parking lot rather than an unattended one. If its a place or lot where there is valet parking, just give the attendant your door and ignition key. They do not need any other keys on your key chain.

In public places around dusk and at night, always park in well lit areas that have a lot of pedestrian traffic. Keep in mind that most auto thieves prefer to work at night.

Try to avoid parking near or next to any obstruction, such as a fence, hedge, large truck, or anything that blocks a clear view of your vehicle to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

When you stay in a place that has gated, secured parking, make sure that the gate has completely closed after entering or leaving so that a thief doesn’t sneak in to the parking area where you’re staying.

If you happen to see any suspicious activity such as a person or group of people hanging around or near your vehicle you should call the police.

Here are a number of anti-theft devices that can be installed for maximum protection. You might have a few of these products already installed in your vehicle.

You can use an easily visible after-market steering wheel lock bar. Most car thieves will likely move on to easier prey/greener pastures. Other less visible after-market products are gas pedal locks, brake pedal locks, or armored collars that fit around the steering column which protects the ignition. For the manual shift vehicles you can also use after-market shifter locks. These items are effective but not as highly visible to prying eyes.

Another thing that you can easily do is to have your mechanic install a hood lock that will prevent easy access to your vehicles battery and security system.

A loud vehicle alarm system and a highly visible alarm sticker on your windshield is worth its weight in gold especially when its combined with the addition of some of the other anti-theft security options.

The best vehicle protection is a passive electronic immobilizer which automatically disables the motor when the ignition is turned off. Its not an inexpensive device to install but it is well worth it for your peace of mind. There are a few other benefits you could receive by installing an electronic immobilizer in your vehicle. Some auto insurance companies may offer a discount on your policy if you can confirm that you’ve had one installed. You also may get more money for your vehicle if you sell it down the road.

Last, but not least, make sure you have adequate insurance coverage on your vehicle including theft and damage before you travel on a vacation.

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