Car thieves target vehicles that present the least amount of hassle. A vehicle equipped with an anti-theft device is more of a hassle than one without.

 

This article helps you choose a good anti-theft device and rates the effectiveness of most models available on the market today. It also shows how crime-savvy customers can save money on a policy or a claim.

 

Anti-theft devices can deter thieves three ways:

• Physically - no thief wants to waste precious time exerting a lot of physical effort.
• Visually - just the sight of an anti-theft device inside a car will put off many thieves.
• Audibly - thieves never want to draw attention to themselves.

To help protect your vehicle, it's worth investing in the best anti-theft system you can afford. But no anti-theft device is foolproof.

 

If your car is highly vulnerable, equip it with two or more different types of devices. For example, your electronic immobilizer prevents outright theft. That's good, but break-ins still happen. The distinct outline of a steering wheel lock shows that you take extra precautions — and probably leave nothing of value to steal from your locked vehicle.