Sep
Every year, thousands of vehicles in Germany fall victim to car thieves, who usually target the valuables inside the car, and sometimes the car itself. High-quality cars are particularly popular with thieves and can then be sold well, but older vehicles are also the case Not safe from car thieves , they are stolen in order to commit further crimes.
Prevent car thefts
100% protection against car theft is in no way possible and not realistic, but every car owner can take precautions to best protect their car from theft . With the help of manual security devices, digital gadgets or even simple steps, theft can be made particularly difficult.
Fuses for the car
The vehicle can be secured even without additional purchases; everyday actions help to avoid car theft.
Tips for protecting your car
There are a few things to consider when parking and leaving the car. Particularly expensive vehicles should never be left freely accessible in an open parking space ; they are more protected in a garage. If there is no garage available, a busy street will suffice; hidden and dark alleys should be avoided. The vehicle key must always be removed and taken with you when leaving, even for short errands, otherwise the vehicle’s immobilizer will not be activated. The majority of registered vehicles have an integrated steering wheel lock , if not, this can be retrofitted in a workshop. It should always be locked when leaving the car to prevent unauthorized driving away and theft .
The car’s windows and doors must always be closed, and sunroofs and fuel caps should also be checked before leaving the car to avoid unauthorized entry or theft of fuel. The second car key must not be kept in the vehicle itself; ideally, this vehicle key should be stored at home in case of emergencies.
When locking the car with the car key via radio, it is important to ensure that the optical signal, usually a flashing lamp, appears, this ensures that the car has been locked securely. Car thieves often use radio blockers that interrupt this signal and prevent the car from being locked .
In addition, you should always look out for conspicuous people in an unsafe area; thieves first watch the vehicle carefully or take photos.
Nothing valuable has been lost in the vehicle; money, wallets or jewelry should always be taken with you; in an emergency, they can be covered or hidden. Placing expensive cell phones or watches in plain sight can attract the interest of many thieves.
Mechanical fuses
In addition to the steering wheel lock, a parking claw can also be attached in an emergency . This is connected to the front wheel with a steel bracket and in most cases protects against theft of the car. Additional locks can be attached to the doors and trunk ; these are available in mechanical and electrical modes. Such additional locks prevent many thieves from gaining unauthorized entry into the vehicle.
GPS tracker to protect against car thieves
The use of a GPS tracker offers drivers additional security. These gadgets use a global network of satellites to determine location. The GPS tracker serves as a transmitter of this information and forwards it to the recipient, which can be a smartphone or a tablet.
GPS trackers are installed in the interior of the car to protect against theft ; they should not be immediately visible to thieves. Depending on the power supply, there are sufficient options for concealed fastening. Many models can be attached freely; they draw the necessary power from an integrated battery, which must be charged at regular intervals. Other trackers can be directly connected to the vehicle power , which offers the advantage that the device can always send all relevant data without being charged.
The tracker provider also supplies an app or an online portal; this software can be used to locate the tracker in the car at any time. The owner of the car therefore has the option of activating his or her own individual alarms and can adjust them at any time.
Alarms to secure the vehicle
Thanks to a GPS tracker for cars from Salind, car owners can prevent possible theft. These devices with the associated apps offer the user a large selection of alarms in the menu that can be customized according to their own preferences.
Geofencing – the invisible fence
Geofencing can be used to limit certain areas, for example your own property . If this limit is exceeded, the user will receive a notification by email or via a push message in the app.
Shock alarm
If the tracker is moved, the user receives an alarm message and can intervene. This alarm is triggered when the tracker is moved from its place or the vehicle is moved. In addition, permanently connected trackers provide an immediate notification if the device is removed from the vehicle’s power supply, which can already be an indication of theft .
Live-Tracking
With live tracking of the vehicle, the location is updated every few seconds, so the car can be accessed at any time and tracked via cell phone. In the event of a car theft, the current position and route can be tracked.
Car theft: what to do if the vehicle is stolen?
If a car theft is suspected, the police must be informed immediately . There you can also find out whether it was actually stolen or whether the car was towed or seized.
Inform the police
In the event of theft, a written report of the theft must be submitted to the police, and the police will then put the vehicle on a wanted list. If there is a GPS tracker in the car, you can call up the current location and report it to the officials. However, vehicle thieves are informed, they know these gadgets and their hiding places. However, if it is installed as inconspicuously as possible, there may be enough time to find it and locate it. Using the current location, the theft can be solved more quickly and it is often possible to find the vehicle undamaged.
Deregister vehicle
With the copy of the theft report and the documents from the vehicle, the car must be deregistered from the vehicle registration office as quickly as possible. In the case of financing, the car theft must also be reported to the bank.
Find out about your car insurance
After the police have been informed, the car insurance company should be informed immediately about the car theft; this must always be done in writing within a week. In the event of theft, the insurance always requires an immediate report of the damage , but this can also be initiated in advance by telephone. After receiving the report, the insurer will contact the injured party and possibly ask for further information. It is also important to have a copy of the report ready so that it can be forwarded to the insurance company.
In addition, other insurance companies can also be informed if there are valuables in the car. The report to the household contents insurance must also be made very promptly, then the insurance cover will also apply.
Payment by insurance in the event of car theft
Various documents are required to settle insurance claims for such thefts . The insurer requires all existing keys to the car, a copy of the criminal complaint with confirmation from the police, confirmation from the registration office for deregistration as well as the registration certificates parts I and II. Once all of this data on the car theft has been received by the insurance company , the incident will be examined accordingly. The information requested by the insurance company must always be answered truthfully in order not to jeopardize your personal insurance coverage.
Special insurance cases
If a car is stolen outside of Germany, the injured party receives help at the nearest police station, where the report is filed. After traveling home from abroad, you must contact the police immediately. A written report must then be made there; the police can also send this digitally to the comprehensive insurance company by email .
The car documents should never be kept in the vehicle itself; the original documents must always be kept at home. Problems can arise if a vehicle is stolen if the original documents were kept in the vehicle. In this case, the insurance does not pay and the injured party remains stuck with the costs of the car theft .
If the stolen car is found again within four weeks, the owner must take the car back and will not receive any compensation from the insurance company . However, if the vehicle remains missing, the owner receives payment from the insurance company and transfers ownership to them. After the car is stolen, the replacement value of the car is determined, and the insurance company pays this sum to the injured party.
