Your beloved car may smoke when you drive under a certain speed. It may sound like a bus, and a bad bus at that, at any speed. Perhaps it runs like a champ or is brand new or customized. No doubt, your car has fine, or not so fine, points giving it that certain character you love. Not to mention, it comes in real handy getting back and forth to work. Odds are, as long time car owner, you have had one broken into, stolen, vandalized or some other favor done to it compliments of somebody. Makes you mad just thinking about something happening again, more so if your still paying for it.

Automotive crimes are one of the largest property crime segments. Statistically, as you read this sentence, somewhere someone is committing an automotive related crime right this very moment. Generally speaking, you need to be concerned with and protect against having your car:

• Broken into.
• Vandalized.
• Stolen.

In addition, but thankfully to a lesser extent, you must also guard against fraud such as insurance or repair related. Insurance fraud would include a staged accident with you as the "at fault" victim. Repair related fraud is generally when a shop charges you for unneeded repairs or uses old parts that they say are new.

Obviously the reason someone breaks into a vehicle is to steal something from it or to steal the vehicle itself. Unless they steal something on it's exterior such as, tires and wheels, they have to gain access to the inside. Most often than not, they will break a window to do this. That's why the first sign, that something is not right when you go to leave for work, is a pile of glass on the ground by the side of your car. They will use any number of blunt tools, or spring loaded center punches, to break a window.

Thieves can take steps to minimize the noise of shattering glass should they bother to do so or need to for some reason. A common way is using a large patch of adhesive from say a home window tinting kit. They apply the adhesive, break the glass and then simply peel away the adhesive. They will also opt to break a quarter window to minimize noise. Most of the time they just break the driver's door window and care not about the noise it makes. By the time anyone thinks they heard something, if at all, and bothers to check they are long gone. Time is the enemy of all thieves so they always work quickly.

Stereo equipment is  usually what they are coming for. Have you ever left your pull-out or detachable stereo in the dash and someone stole it? Don't feel alone it happens to many people. You only need to neglect to do so once. It does not have to be an expensive (or expensive looking) stereo. Someone will smash your window, worth perhaps a days pay or more, to steal the change sitting in your ashtray. Often thieves go window shopping; Unfortunately, the windows their shopping through belong to your car.

Leaving items inside your vehicle, that are visible when looking inside, increases your chances of having it broken into. The items don't have to be something of obvious value. That gym bag you always leave in the back seat may only contain your dirty gym clothes. However, to a window shopping thief, that gym bag could contain any number of goodies. He most likely wont take the time to check the gym bag after he breaks in to your car. In fact, he may want to steal the gym bag itself with anything else inside it being a bonus. Keep the inside of your vehicle clear and clean as possible.

An unlocked door only keeps the wind out. An open window keeps nothing out. To always be in the habit of locking your car up tight even when "I'll only be a moment..." will of course help a great deal. Remember, the best most expensive security system, for your car, home or business, is worth ZERO if you don't turn it on and lock up.

Another inherent enemy of all thieves, like time, is noise. An alarm system is absolutely critical for the protection of your car. Many auto makers today include an auto alarm as part of the car or as an option. Get a quality alarm system. Particularly if you plan to have expensive rims or other after market items added to your car. Make sure that the alarm has a visible flashing light in the interior when it is armed. A kill switch or additional features such as satellite tracking or coded entry will add layers of protection for you car.

vandalisms occur, The majority of the time, as a result of someone getting revenge or retaliation for some reason. They may do it personally or get someone to do it for them in some cases. Most of the rest occur, thanks to kids or kid like behavior of an adult, randomly for fun. It is also possible for your property to be vandalized by mistake. Unfortunately, by and large, it is extremely difficult to prevent vandalism to your car. This is especially true if someone seeks to damage your car intentionally for revenge or retaliation. While still no guarantee, unless you can drive from one secure garage to another or can hire guards to protect it around the clock they will succeed in vandalizing your car. Your only hope is that they get caught or scared off as they attempt to do so.

One advantage of an intentional act of vandalism is that the responsible person will most likely be on a short list of suspects that you will provide yourself. One of the first questions a Police or Security Officer will ask when you report your vandalism is if you are having problems with someone. In many places, vandalisms causing a certain monetary level of damage or meeting some other criteria are felony crimes. Thus, your crazy ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend that top the list you gave to the Police will surely be spoken to at some point.

Another advantage is that you can at least be alert to the fact that your car is under threat. Knowing that your ex-lover may go after your car, or flat out said they would, you can make sure you do all that is possible to protect it. Again, a very difficult and unenviable situation to be in.

Stealing a car is a relatively high skill crime. Once learned and practiced a car thief utilizes such skill to take your entire vehicle and your sense of security with it. Sometimes you may get it back with minor damage, a lot of damage or not at all. Depending on the thief's reasons for taking it. A joy riding teen or someone taking it for use in committing another crime or someone that wants some specific parts, you may get it back in one condition or another. A thief working with an enterprise that sends your car off to some other Country or sells nearly every single part of it ensures you will never see it again.

It would be wise to have additional features for your alarm system should you drive one of the top ten or so most stolen cars in a given year. Always place a steering wheel locking device when you park. Even though a thief can get around many different security measures the fact is they still have to deal with them. This takes time and in some cases different tools that he may have at the moment. Thus, your locked up, armed alarm with visible flashing interior light, locked bar across your steering wheel car may just send thieves on to another target, such as your neighbor's car.

The best bottom line defense against everything that could happen to your car is to have insurance for it. Make sure your policy includes coverage for specific events and you are comfortable with the amount of a deductible and total coverage limit, and NEVER let your policy lapse. Guess what happens to you if your car is stolen and never recovered or burnt to a crisp by your ex-lover and you don't have enough insurance or it lapsed? Yes, that’s right, you continue to make payments on something that no longer exists to you. For that fact alone it deserves to be well protected.