Writer: Abha Vardhan (2018)
There has undoubtedly been a rise in the incidence of car thefts during the economic crisis. Some individuals have gone so far as to try stealing cars from rental companies by using forged identity cards to rent cars and then they never return them. Then there are cases where people steal cars only to abandon them a couple of days later.
Some are professional thieves who steal cars to sell them to illegal garages, where the cars are stripped for parts. Others are stolen by joyriders, people who steal cars for reckless fun, putting not only their lives at risk but also other road users as well.
There are also car thieves that have the flourishing business of stealing cars in order to sell them to unwitting customers who have no idea they are buying a stolen vehicle.
Ultimately, it does not matter what the motive of the car theft is, what is important here is that if more efforts are made by car owners to secure their vehicles, the rate of theft will reduce. Therefore, it is imperative to use high-quality security systems in your vehicle to prevent someone from taking it.
What To Do If Your Car Is Stolen?
Even if your car is equipped with a car alarm, it may be stolen. If this does occur the first thing you will need to do is file a police report. Then you may want to employ an efficient private investigator who may be able to track down your car in a few days. It is also useful to keep copies of photographs and vehicle registration information that can prove to be useful in case of a theft.
How to Prevent Car Theft and Car Parts Theft?
Cars offer independence, convenience and ease whether travelling to your workplace or taking a trip during the holidays. Nowadays it is easy to purchase a car with flexible loan tenure. When buying a car, the buyer usually looks at various features including performance, cost, price, and advanced features. However, they tend to forget safety features and often don’t consider installing a proper car alarm system in order to prevent their car from being stolen.
Unfortunately, the incidents of car theft are rising day by day. Most surprising is that the majority of this type of crime is down to the carelessness of owners and negligence of the installation of security devices. Without a doubt, this type of crime can be prevented if an owner is more vigilant and had taken the time to invest in some effective security measures.
There are numerous car alarm devices that will work to deter thieves and warn others of forced entry into the car. When installing a car anti-theft alarm, make sure to install it in a place where it’s not noticeable. If it can be seen, the chances of a thief detecting it and disabling it are significantly increased.
Are LED Car Alarms Worth Buying?
There are numerous varieties of car alarm devices on the market today. The simplest car alarm systems are only equipped with audio signalling devices, and thus they hardly offer much in terms of security for vehicles. Thieves are so shrewd nowadays that they know how to easily deactivate this type of car alarm the moment it has become active.
- LED Alarm Systems: Some alarm systems come equipped with a box and a flashing LED display. It is quite easy to install LED alarms and they are simply installed with the help of double-sided adhesive tape. They are connected to an integrated solar cell that provides them with sufficient energy to power the LED. It may be effective against occasional thieves, but not for professionals who will not be easily discouraged by such simple safety measures.
- Plug-in Alarm Systems: The Plug-in alarm system can be installed quickly and easily. Compared to the LED alarms, they are much better and can actually have a deterrent effect on thieves. Once the alarm is triggered, the owner is alerted by text on their smartphone. These plug-in systems are available with an integrated camera so the owner can always keep a check on their car for any intruders.
Even though effective, these alarms don’t offer long-term effectiveness as once the thieves locate them; they will disable the system and throw it out of the vehicle. Moreover, these alarm systems are prone to respond to shocks, so for example, whenever your car passes close to a truck, the alarm may be triggered. This can be both annoying and a dangerous distraction when driving.
Retrofitted Car Alarm with GPS Transmitter: The Right Solution for Your Car Safety
The best car alarm system available today is the one that is equipped with a GPS transmitter. These alarm systems are either permanently active or become active when it detects any suspicious activity. The best way to find a stolen vehicle is to trace its location. In the case of car theft, these GPS devices allow law enforcement to track the site of your stolen car through satellite to be able to recover it.
Retrofitted car alarm systems with GPS navigation technology undoubtedly offer the smartest solution to car theft. Contrary to the car alarms that give out noise, these advanced car alarms react quietly and effectively. Some of the remarkable features of these GPS car alarms are:
- Early warning systems
- Interior monitoring through radar sensors
- Silent alarm to the mobile phone
- GPS transmitter
- An integrated camera
- Communication with an emergency call center
Retrofitted car alarm systems are available with various features, which you can choose to best suit your needs. Of course, the more features installed, the more expensive the whole alarm system will be. It is important to install these car alarms so that they are not easily removed and turned off. Therefore, it is best to get the installation done by professionals instead of choosing the do-it-yourself option. It is the responsibility of the specialist to install the professional car alarm system as effectively and securely as possible. The regular alarm kits with the basic equipment are usually installed in two to three hours.
The best thing is that you can remove and integrate the complete retrofit alarm kit in your next car after you sell your current car. If you are not keen to use this alarm system in your new car, no need to worry since the premium quality car alarm system will certainly increase its resale value.
Key Features in Detail
There are car alarm systems with radar sensors that help to keep watch inside the vehicle. They respond actively as soon as they detect any suspicious movements in the interior of your car. You don’t have to worry thinking, that you will be notified of every small movement since movements such as those caused by a flying insect, for example, will not trigger the radar sensor. However, when the radar sensor senses any significant movements such as some trying to gain entry, a text is sent to the car owner on their smartphone.
- If someone is detected fiddling with your car, the safety alarm system sends out audible and visual signals such as “hands off”, and “help is on the way". This may frighten some thieves and prevent them from stealing the car.
- Your smartphone is one of the smart tools that work to ensure the safety of your car. It works to find the location of your vehicle and as a monitor for the cameras installed in your car. In short, it works as a signal receiver for the sensors of the retrofitted car alarm system.
- Safety car alarms also come with the smart camera technology that helps the owner to monitor any intruders. With advanced technology, the camera installed in the car is able to film the driver. This clip can work as an evidence to arrest and convict thieves.
- A GPS transmitter is, of course, the best feature in ensuring the safety of the vehicle. It works to trace the location of your car. It is triggered as soon as the car starts to move. The GPS transmitter constantly gives signals about its own position. The professionals will install GPS transmitter in such a way that it will not easily be detected by the intruder.
- The advanced alarm system also sends an automatic notification to an emergency call center, who will then, in turn, inform the police to track down the stolen car.
Secure Retrofitted Alarm Systems for Every Budget!
Car theft is on the rise; therefore, it is wise to make use of effective safety devices in order to ensure the security of your vehicle. By installing a car security system, you will be able to deter potential thieves and prevent car theft. Current advanced technology for car alarms is extremely impressive. You have a lot of choices today including numerous customizable options, installations variable and remote access features.
Having a car alarm installed in your car will help you in either preventing your car from being stolen in the first place or will allow you to track and recover it, should it be taken. If you still have not installed a retrofit alarm system in your car, then do it today for peace of mind.