During the summer months we are quite often tempted to leave our vehicles running with the A/C going, when we jump out of the car or truck for a short period of time.

When we know when are only ‘popping into the store’ for a quick moment, many of us may feel comfortable leaving the doors unlocked. In this article we will focus on some key break-in prevention tips.

It is wise to remember that it only takes a few seconds for someone to open your door and grab something of value or the vehicle in its entirety. We always think that it cannot happen to us, but there are career criminals that are watching for this type of complacency to make their living.

• Keep your vehicle visible: Park in well-lit and areas with lots of people traffic whenever possible.
• Never leave your keys in the ignition, or the vehicle running unattended.
• Don’t leave valuables in plain view. Such as your personal belongings like purses, wallets and even shopping bags. These thieves are opportunists.
• Also hide evidence of valuables such as power plugs/adaptors for your cell phone, GPS, etc. If they see cords the assumption is that there is something good attached.
• Always roll your windows up and remember to lock your vehicle.

Once you start a routine, it becomes a habit and then it will be something you do without even thinking about it.  More often than not, theft of this variety causes undue issues beyond the actual replacement cost of the items.  The real cost of losing pictures, sources of entertainment, your connection home or identity information far outweighs the extra few minutes it takes to make things secure.