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Don't Make it Easy for Thieves

8 July 1998

Automobile Theft Prevention Authority Warns: Don't Make It Easy For a Thief to Steal Your Vehicle

    MECHANICSBURG, Pa., July 8 -- July is one of the highest auto
theft months in the state of Pennsylvania and the PA Automobile Theft
Prevention Authority warns that one of the main reasons is that car owners
make it way too easy for a thief to steal their vehicles.
    Another reason is that juveniles prone to crime and out of school for the
summer, may make stealing a priority on "nothing-to-do" summer days.
    Whatever the reason for the increased thefts in July, the message is
simple: don't make it easy for a thief to steal your car.
    "We've seen cases recently where thieves admitted to stealing only cars
that were left unlocked.  It was an easy steal," according to ATPA executive
director Roy Miller.  Making it more difficult for your car to be stolen often
makes a thief move on to look for an easier target.
    One of the ATPA's missions is to educate the public on how to prevent auto
theft.  By making the following tips into habits, consumers are armed with
simple, common sense steps to avoid car theft and carjacking not only in July,
but throughout the year.

    -- Roll up windows and lock doors when leaving car unattended.
    -- Never hide a key inside your car.  Take the keys with you.
    -- Lock doors when driving.  It's safest for passengers and to prevent
        carjacking.
    -- Don't leave packages, CDs, cellular phones, or other valuables in sight
        inside your car.  Lock them in your trunk or, better yet, don't leave
        them in your car at all.

    The Pennsylvania Automobile Theft Prevention Authority was established in
1994 through a unanimous vote of the state legislature.  The authority is
funded through insurance company assessments (no taxpayer dollars are used)
which are in turn granted to investigative and prosecutorial units across the
Commonwealth to actively fight automobile theft.  For more information on how
to fight automobile theft, call the ATPA public relations director, Sara
McLin, at 1-888-777-ATPA (2872).