Tips for Keeping Your Vehicle Safe

AAA Official Speaks From Experience

John B. Townsend II, a senior official for AAA Mid-Atlantic, has plenty of tips on how to prevent car theft. He knows the risk all too well.

His 1992 Chrysler New Yorker was stolen in November just outside the Capital Beltway, on a stretch of Martin Luther King Jr. Highway in Prince George's County.

"I'm a victim," sighed Townsend, 54, a Mitchellville resident and manager of public and government affairs in the automobile association's regional office in Washington.

He has plenty of company. Nearly 18,500 vehicles were stolen in Prince George's County in 2004 -- more than were stolen last year in all of Virginia (roughly 17,309), the rest of Maryland (17,382) and the District (8,136), according to police and state records. The number of thefts in Prince George's has nearly doubled since 2000. In Baltimore, 6,731 cars were stolen last year.

Townsend said his son borrowed his car to get a haircut the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The four-door sedan collided with a U-Haul truck on King Highway between Route 50 and the Beltway, flattening a tire and wrecking a portion of the front end.

His son called Townsend, who drove to the scene and found that the car was not totaled. Townsend was told, however, that he would have to wait until Monday for a flatbed truck to haul the car away. So he locked it and left it on the side of the road.

He checked it Sunday on his way to church and again Monday morning on his way to work. Still there, still locked. But later in the day it disappeared. In all likelihood, the car was worth less than $2,000 -- not counting the repairs that it needed, Townsend said. He was flabbergasted.

"They stole a car that was wrecked and had a flat tire," Townsend said. "In your wildest imagination, you would think nobody would steal a car like that."

With that preface of personal experience, Townsend offers these suggestions for motorists to safeguard their vehicles.

· First, the basics: Lock the car, set the brake, roll up the windows and close the sunroof.

· Don't leave the car while it is idling, even for a moment. (It's also against the law.) Many unattended cars were stolen last winter while motorists were warming their engines. Don't leave keys in the car, even if they are hidden.

· Park in an attended garage if possible. On streets, park under lights, between other cars and with wheels turned to the curb. Vary your parking routine. Don't leave anything on car seats or floors.

· Carry your vehicle registration with you instead of leaving it in the glove compartment. You need it in the car only when you're there. The same is true of other personal information a thief might find useful.

· Consider installing anti-theft devices. A steering wheel lock or car-motion alarm can deter some (but obviously, not all) thieves. Floorboard locks can disable brake or gas pedals. Fuel kills can halt the gas supply; other devices can disable ignition switches. Etching of vehicle identification numbers can deter thieves who try to hide a vehicle's identity. Wireless vehicle locators can help track a stolen car. With all of these options, cost is a factor. But AAA advises that auto insurers may give discounts for vehicles with anti-theft devices.