7 Things That'll Make Thieves Think Twice About Your Corvette
1. Garage It
If you're leaving your Corvette out overnight, then you're leaving it vulnerable to more than just the elements. Stowing it away in the garage is a great way to keep it hidden and protected by a closed door inside your property. Thieves are lazy and will go for the cars waiting for them on the street instead of attempting to guess what's behind door number three on Main Street, USA. If you live in the city, renting a garage may be your only option, but unfortunately, it is not a cheap one.
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2. Don't Leave Valuables Visible
A good rule of thumb is to not give a thief an excuse to get inside your car. Most car alarms won't even go off if the window is smashed, but only if the car door is opened. Leaving a jacket, purse, box, or even an Apple charger could all be signs that there are potential items inside for the taking. Even if the item on the outside is beaten up or not in great condition, a thief will take a chance and think nothing of busting your window to see what's inside. Take your valuables to the trunk or pop smaller ones into your armrest compartment to keep them out of sight. Remember, even if you're leaving your car just a few minutes, it only takes a brazen crook a moment to ruin your day.
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3. Install a Kill Switch
It's not a cheap mod by any stretch but rather one that will give you some added peace of mind when having to leave your car in a questionable place. Even if the thief gets into your car and starts to dismantle the dash to "hotwire" the car, they will still be out of luck with starting it. A kill switch will only stop novice thieves, but in terms of numbers, these lazy beginner thieves are the ones your car is more likely to encounter. If you do go this route, then shop wisely; all kill switches are not manufactured equally. The insurance company will lower your rate a bit with each additional security measure you put in your Corvette.
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4. Keep It Closed and Locked
Keeping the windows rolled up and the doors locked when walking away from the car sounds like common sense, but you'd be surprised how many people don't do it. Just recently in the news, a woman had her car stolen while dropping off something at a donation center. She left the keys on the seat with the doors unlocked to run inside for a "moment" but ended up staying over thirty minutes. Some car thieves will actually walk down the street trying door handle after door handle, looking for that one Forgetful Frankie who neglected to lock the doors or roll up the windows.
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5. Choose a Manual Transmission
That's right: there's an added benefit to choosing a stick shift car that goes beyond a more engaging drive. Most Americans cannot drive a manual, and it has been documented again and again how thieves will steal a car and shortly thereafter abandon it when they continue to stall it or get out of 1st gear. We know that manuals are being phased out in higher end cars for the more favorable flappy paddles that shift in minute preciseness, but what's being lost is an amazing theft deterrent device.
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6. Give the Valet Only What's Necessary
If you go out and your only option is to valet your car, then we implore you to do so using the valet key when handing over your car to the parking attendants. The valet key will keep any inquisitive workers out of things that you'd rather keep to yourself. If you use the same key for the trunk and glove box, you could have them changed so that no one has access to everything except you. Upon returning to your car, check around your car, check that your battery hasn't been changed, and take a gander into the trunk. There's a reason why most parking lots have signs posted about liability and that all bets are off once you drive off the lot.
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7. Park in Plain Sight
Parking out in the open is great at deterring theft or shady activity with your Corvette. The more foot traffic, the better, as a crook won't deem your car to be desirable enough to risk getting caught by either the police or a good samaritan. Stay away from side streets, alleys, and places at night that aren't brightly lit and populated. I know it's tempting to go to the back of a parking lot to avoid dents and dings, but putting your car out of sight also puts it in the comfort zone of someone with bad intentions.
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