It takes less than 60 seconds to steal possessions from your car, or to steal your car. That's right, less than one minute. Auto crime thieves are skilful in their efforts; therefore, we need to learn how to fight back by removing the opportunity for criminals to strike. Millions of dollars in merchandise is stolen from vehicles every year. The unforeseen costs and disruption can be very upsetting for victims. Below are some tips for preventing theft from your vehicle.

• Do not leave any valuables or personal possessions in your vehicle
• Park in busy and well-lit areas and avoid dark, secluded locations
• Close windows and lock all doors
• Buy a stereo that is removable and take it with you
• Engrave all on-board valuables with your driver's license number and apply an identification decal.
• When using an automatic gate, wait for the gate to close behind you.
• If you see any suspicious person or activity near a vehicle, do not hesitate to call the police
• Invest in, and use good quality anti-theft devices. By layering anti-theft devices, you can reduce the chance of auto crime significantly. For example, using an immobilizer in combination with your alarm is a much bigger deterrent for thieves.

Thieves take pride in stealing cars, and they do it for a variety of reasons. Some thieves get their thrills from ripping people off, destroying personal property, and joyriding at dangerously high speeds. Other thieves steal vehicles to strip them for parts or to resell the vehicle overseas. Some vehicles are stolen to use in the commission of another crime. Whatever the reason, we can fight back by making our vehicles unappealing to thieves. Use more than one anti-theft device. They come in a range of prices and a variety of styles. Here are the three main types:

• Mechanical - steering wheel lock bars, shifter locks, brake pedal locks
• Vehicle Alarms
• Electronic Immoblizers

Visit the ICBC website (www.icbc.com) to learn more about choosing an anti-theft device. There you will find more information about auto crime and how to protect yourself.

Take responsibility and fight back by reducing the opportunity; it is your vehicle.