Picture this. You are on a day out with your family. After driving around all day, you settle in to enjoy a movie at your favorite theater, only to come back later to the parking lot and find your car missing! Or waking up one morning to find the car stolen from your own residential parking spot. All this may sound like your worst nightmare come true, but the fact is, car theft is a big business in India. Auto theft is a national-level racket that runs into crores of rupees. Team-BHP tells you how to prevent your car from becoming a mere statistic on police records.
What happens to cars once they are stolen?
Stolen cars from one state are usually sold in another state to unsuspecting buyers. Cross selling across states makes it difficult for authorities to track the cars down. Forged registration papers, supporting documents and a fake registration number are not difficult to procure in India. Often, used car dealers work hand in glove with car thieves, who frequently operate as part of a larger gang. In other cases, these cars are dismantled and individual parts are sold in the open market. Stolen cars can also be used in crimes and then abandoned. In such a situation, there is high potential of a legal problem to the actual car owner.
Which cars are the usual targets for car thieves?
Though a thief can target almost any kind of vehicle, the following cars are “hot favorites”:
- VFM and popular hatchbacks. The Maruti 800, Alto, Wagon R, Swift, Tata Indica, Hyundai Santro, i10 etc.
- VFM and popular sedans like the Maruti Esteem, Dzire, Tata Indigo, Honda City, Toyota Corolla etc.
- MUVs & SUVs like the Mahindra Scorpio, Bolero, Chevrolet Tavera, Toyota Qualis and Innova. Premium SUVs like the Mitsubishi Pajero are darlings too.
- The above-listed cars find buyers almost anywhere in the country; this is exactly what thieves look for. Cars that are easy to sell and with minimum fuss.
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Insurance first:
Ensure that your car is comprehensively covered, and that the insurance policy is valid. The only thing worse than having your car stolen is then realising that your car's insurance policy has expired!
Keys & Parking:
- LOCK the car:
A simple task, yet one that is often overlooked due to carelessness. Do ensure that all the doors & windows (including sunroof) of your car are sealed tight. A small opening is all that a thief needs to gain access. Be sure to lock even if it’s only a 2 minute stop to pick up that hot coffee from Barista. - Residential Parking:
Needless to say, nearly all stolen cars are picked up from their parking spot. Parking in a garage or within a building's compound walls is, of course, ideal. For those who have no choice but to park on the street, choose a well illuminated area. Avoid parking in dark and isolated spots. If there is a watchman on guard in a nearby building, giving him a 100 – 200 bucks (monthly) to keep an eye on your car is a good idea. - Public Parking:
When you visit a mall or a restaurant, use a pay & park lot (not on the public street). And yes, always carry the parking ticket with you (don't leave it in the car). Parking close to public activity, say the entrance of the lot, helps. Thieves are allergic to people and activity. - Keep your keys to yourself:
Don't let your car keys circulate amongst the building watchmen, car wash guys or even parking lot attendants. Keys have often been duplicated from a leak in this circle. Also, don't leave your car keys in the ignition, even if you are doing a splash & dash to the nearby store.
Anti-theft equipment that works:
- The first rule is to understand that there is no such thing as a “theft-proof” car. Hence, the key is to make things as difficult as possible for the thief, thereby deterring him from stealing your car. Make the thief move on to the next “easy prey”.
- Factory-fitted Immobilizer:
Choose a car with a factory-fitted immobiliser (e.g. Maruti iCats). Manufacturer installed systems are typically robust. - A pro-grade security system:
Buy a security system ONLY from a well reputed brand (e.g. Autocop, Xenos etc.). Choose a system which, along with an alarm, comes with motion + impact sensors. If your car didn't come equipped with a factory immobiliser, check that option out too. GPS-equipped systems with location functionality are also making their way to India (example). Importantly, ensure that the security system is installed by a professional / authorized representative of the company. No 16 year old daily wage labourers at the accessories store please. - Additional locks:
We highly recommend gear or steering-to-pedal locks from a reputable brand. Not only do these locks make for a visual deterrent to thieves, but the high quality ones are tough to break. There are several options of gear locks (fixed permanently in your car and locks gear in position) and steering-to-pedal locks (one end attached to your steering wheel and the other to your clutch or brake pedal) available in the market. - Hidden master switch:
Especially popular with the Jeep & Gypsy folk. Such a switch basically breaks the power supply from your battery to the ignition, or shuts off the fuel pump altogether. It is installed at a location in your car that's known only to you. Again, the key is to deter the thief as much as possible.
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Lessening the appeal of your car:
- Number etching:
Etch the registration number of your car on the glass areas and a few other secret spots that only you know about. Etched registration numbers on windows are a deterrent to thieves (potential problem at "naka bandi"). Plus, this step will help you / the Police identify your car if & when it is recovered.
- No valuables:
Keep the laptops, shopping bags and cell phones away from prying eyes. These goodies invite a thief and only give him more incentive to steal your car. Never keep valuables in open sight (e.g. on your seat). Lock them away in the boot or carry them along with you. Also, if your stereo headunit has a removable panel, detach and take it with you. - Buy a market dud:
Cars like the Fiat Palio, Ford Mondeo and Mitsubishi Cedia found few takers in the new car bazaar. Good news is, thanks to their dismal market performance, even fewer thieves are interested in these cars.
Some other important points:
- Photo copies only:
Do not leave your driving license and original registration papers in the car. These documents can be doctored, and it is possible that the thief will impersonate you when selling the car. Keep only photocopies of registration & insurance documents in the car and carry your driving license with you at all times. - Car Jacking:
Though an infrequent occurrence today, car jacking is growing in popularity with urban thieves. When driving through isolated areas, or late at night, always keep the doors locked and your windows rolled up. Don't stop the car in suspicious areas either. - Offroaders:
Good idea is to leave your 4x4 vehicle parked with the transfer case in N or L mode. A majority of thieves don't even know how to operate the transfer case. - For the really paranoid:
Remove the main fuse and carry it along with you. No one expects thieves to come equipped with fuses. This is a worthy suggestion for those times that you are out travelling, and your car will remain unused in its parking spot for a longer period of time. - Protection from the "other" car:
Applicable to those of you who have 2+ cars and a narrow parking area. Use the less desirable car as protection, park it at the end, and block access to the other cars. For instance, block the Hyundai i20 and Toyota Innova out with the ol' Premier 118 NE at the entrance.
Some useful links:
Car Security systems and Brands: A Discussion
Trends in Car Theft - ECM's in business rather than ICE
All about High Security Number Plates
Which steering / gear lock to buy?
