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How to Protect Your Car Battery From Being Stolen
Car battery theft is on the rise all over the world. It is a terrible feeling to wake up in the morning only to realize that your battery has been stolen.
WHY DO THIEVES STEAL CAR BATTERIES?
Car batteries are a popular target for thieves because they’re easy to steal, easy to sell and virtually untraceable. Stolen batteries find their way to scrap metal dealers, unscrupulous auto electricians and mechanic shops. Selling scrap lead is a very lucrative business.
HOW DO THIEVES STEAL CAR BATTERIES?
Opening the hood of a car is a matter of getting access to the cable connecting the bonnet lock to the inside of the car. Thieves can access your bonnet cable from the outside of the car by crawling underneath the car or by forcing apart the rubber mud guard on the front wheels. Other thieves just break a window and pop open the bonnet from inside. A normal car alarm is good a preventing someone from driving away with your car but useless at preventing battery theft.
WHAT TO DO WHEN SOMEONE STEALS YOUR CAR BATTERY?
File a police report. This will alert police and perhaps prevent further thefts in the area if police officers decide to make it part of their patrols. Also, a police report may help you get some compensation from your home insurance company or vehicle insurance depending on your comprehensive insurance policy. However, stolen batteries are virtually untraceable
SO, HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOUR CAR BATTERY FROM THIEVES?
1. TAKE THE BATTERY OUT OVERNIGHT.
In order to prevent theft, remove the battery from your vehicle when you park it and take it into your building. It may be annoying to do this every time you park your car, but it is better than doing nothing.
2. MAKE A SIGN SAYING "CAR BATTERY REMOVED".
Make this out of a big piece of paper and a pen or marker. Place it on your windshield when parked at night.
3. CHAIN AND PADLOCK YOUR BATTERY.
Buy a good chain, wrap this around your battery and lock it with a padlock. However, it is vital that the chain and padlock don't touch the positive terminal of your battery. This can easily start a fire.
4. PARK SMART.
Park in a well-lit place. Don’t leave anything visible inside the car (valuable or not).
5. INSTALL HOME SECURITY DEVICES.
Install a home security camera to watch over your car. Connect the camera to your smartphone to receive alerts whenever movement is detected. Motion-sensor floodlights are also useful. Thieves will be wary of approaching a building with these lights installed.
6. GET A DOG. One of the most effective home security assets is a dog. However, dogs cannot prevent theft when your car is parked outside the home.
7. INSTALL A BATTERY LOCKBOX. If you own a boat, trailer or RV, a battery lockbox is a good way to protect your battery from thieves. They are relatively easy to install but hard to remove. Unfortunately, they are not usually designed to be installed in small saloon vehicles or SUVs.
8. PLACE A VIBRATION ALARM UNDER THE HOOD.
An excellent way to prevent battery theft is a vibration alarm on your battery or on the underside of the hood of your car. It is effective because it has its own power supply and can only be shut off by its remote. Stick them or zip tie them on anything you want to protect and turn on with the remote control.
9. SET UP A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH.
A rash of thefts in an area can motivate neighbors to get together. If you are the type that is good at organizing people, you can start a neighborhood watch in your area.
10. INSTALL A HOOD LOCK WITH A KEY.
You can also secure the hood of your vehicle with a hood lock and key. When the locking mechanism is locked, the hood cannot be opened without the key. Despite being marketed as a simple DIY job, installing a hood lock requires some advanced skills. Remember, thieves are opportunists. Anything you can do to frustrate and slow them down will discourage them from stealing your battery.
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