Car Theft In New York

New York State is one of the top 10 states for vehicle theft in the United States. Each year over one million vehicles are stolen nationwide, and over 32,000 of them are in New York. New York auto insurance premiums are higher than in some other states due to the frequency of theft. There are also car insurance discounts for taking measures to protect your car from theft in New York and a few other states with comparable or higher theft rates. Understanding more about auto theft may prevent you from becoming a victim.

There are several ways that thieves use to steal cars. Car-jacking is not as frequent as the movies would have you believe but it is the most serious, considered assault and a federal offense in the U.S. Theft of a vehicle without keys is usually done by a combination of breaking into the vehicle and hot-wiring, or by towing. Opportunistic theft occurs when an owner parks the car, leaving the keys or leaving it idling. Other forms of criminal car theft involve fraud or theft by someone who knows the victim and has access to the keys. The later is treated as a lesser offense and many times the victim does not press charges. Car theft is considered a felony and there are stiff penalties in the U.S.

It is not always the most expensive high profile vehicles targeted for theft, but most commonly more cars that are common. In the United States, the most common cars taken include the Jeep Cherokee, Toyota Camry, Cadillac Escalade, Acura Integra, and the Honda Civic and Accord. When purchasing these cars, be aware that the cost of your New York auto insurance may be higher due to the increased risk of theft.

To prevent being victimized by a car thief, there are obvious measures to be taken such as locking your doors, and refraining from leaving a car idling unattended. Keep the keys to your car with you at all times so they are not a temptation. Devices used to deter thieves include car alarms, microdot tags, VIN etching, and kill switch circuits. Some people simply hang a sign in the window claiming to have some of these deterrents inside. In addition to these items, there are locks to prevent a function of the car from operating such as the steering wheel or brake pedal. An immobilizer device works to prevent the car from starting unless the correct key is used. These keys contain special chips that only that car can recognize.

Car theft cannot be completely prevented but there are ways to minimize your risk or slow the thief down. Although you may be subject to higher collision rates on your insurance premiums if you live in high risk theft areas, New York auto insurance companies will offer a discount if one of the deterrent or preventative devices are installed in your car.

For more information Visit our blog or go directly to our website.