Having your car stolen can be devastating. You not only lose access to your means of getting around town, but you also may have valuable items taken from the vehicle. Because a car is a mobile object, it obviously makes it very difficult to track down where it might be.

This is where technology has really revolutionized the way auto theft victims have been able to get their cars back. It gives people peace of mind that it’s not the end of the world when the crime occurs. Vehicle recovery systems, GPS tracking, and cellphone technology allow for more security before a theft happens and swift action after it occurs.

What is a vehicle recovery system? It’s using modern technology to allow the victim and the authorities to know where the vehicle is when a theft occurs. It allows for greater success when getting the car back and sometimes even stops a criminal in their tracks before they can escape with the car.

Anti-theft Recovery Systems

Anti-theft recovery systems have several methods for getting cars back into the hands of the rightful owner. LoJack is a company that has worked with local law enforcement for years now. The tracker that is installed in the car can’t be seen by the criminal. It discreetly informs police exactly where the car is located when it is reported missing.

LoJack is still the only company working in anti-theft recovery that cuts out the middle-man and works directly with the authorities. For other devices, you have to go to the police yourself and explain where the car is being tracked and how it is being tracked.

Other benefits of anti-theft systems include notifying the owner of the car if it’s taken out of a certain area code. Say you let the system know that the vehicle should never leave a 20-mile radius from your house. Maybe this is the farthest you would ever take the car in a day.

If it is removed from this area, you will know someone has taken your car, perhaps while you are at work. Sometimes the car is even unable to run if it is removed from the specified zone. It is important to let your family or any other drivers know this is installed so that there is no confusion when they take your car for a spin.

Are anti-theft recovery systems more helpful in bad areas?

Some people need to worry about their car being stolen more than others. If you live in an area with a high rate of auto theft, it’s especially important to think about getting one of these systems installed.

One problem is there are so many vandalisms and thefts in big cities the authorities still may not be able to track your vehicle in a timely manner. Make sure you get one of the devices that shuts the car down when it is taken out of the city. This will give the police more time to find the vehicle and get it back in your possession.

Smart Technology and Cars

Another way that technology has aided people in the car security industry is we can now prevent theft before it happens. Something as simple as locking your car can be difficult to remember to do if you are late for work and rushing into the building. Connecting your car keys to your smartphone or smartwatch allows you to lock up from anywhere if you forget.

Make sure you look out for cybertheft if you go this route, though. Just like businesses have to be wary of cybercrime, people need to make sure their car technology is not used against them by hackers. If you think your technology or devices have been compromised, you need to report the crime to the police.

Insurance Discounts

Insurance companies want to know that their customers are taking the necessary precautions to protect their cars from being stolen or vandalized. Because of this, many companies like Nationwide and State Farm will give you a discount of up to 25% on your insurance if you have anti-theft technology implemented.

This can be easier for people who are shopping for new vehicles. Modern cars already have some extra security devices like alarms and GPS that can be used for safety purposes. Older vehicles don’t have these technologies, but you can install them for an extra cost.

Insurance companies will appreciate this and give you discounts on older cars, too. Making a car of any age safer is always a great choice. It may seem expensive initially to install new safety features, but insurance discounts should make up for some of this.

Keep up with your older car and thieves won’t think the vehicle is easily accessible for vandalism or car theft. It’s like a home that looks abandoned. It’s more likely to be looted.

Other Security Measures

There’s only so much you can do with technology to prevent a criminal from breaking into your car. You can do other things the old-fashioned way to prevent vandalism from occurring.

Try to park your car inside your garage or closer to the place of business you are at. When cars are too far out of the owner’s sight, criminals are more confident in their ability to execute the crime.

If you do have to park outside your house or away from the business, tracking technology comes in handy once again. You can check on your car’s location, see whether the doors are locked, and set off the alarms from a long distance.

Whatever you decide to do, car technology has definitely made it much easier to prevent crimes from happening and resolve them if they do occur. Educate yourself on all the modern applications and gadgets for your car and you should be able to keep it safe for years to come.

Shawn Laib writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, 4AutoInsuranceQuote.com. He wants to help drivers understand how to better keep their cars safe and inform them about technology that helps increase security for customers.