July (One of the Highest Vehicle Theft Months of the Year) is "National Vehicle Theft Protection Month"
WESTWOOD, Mass., June 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In today's tough economy, owners of cars, trucks, motorcycles and heavy equipment need to do everything possible to protect their vehicles from today's clever, professional thieves- particularly during the summer months when vehicle theft rates are at their highest and when many families are on the road enjoying summer vacations. To help keep vehicles safe, LoJack Corporation and the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) are embarking on their third annual education initiative, which includes naming July as "National Vehicle Theft Protection Month," and providing valuable theft protection information to vehicle owners.
LoJack and NICB are offering the following resources as part of this education initiative:
-- New Audio Podcast: In LoJack and NICB's latest educational podcast
(http://bit.ly/4raiEx), a victim of vehicle theft details how his 2000
Honda Civic was stolen, taken to Mexico and later recovered. Vehicle
theft experts from LoJack and NICB also discuss who is behind vehicle
theft, where it most commonly takes place, and what you can do to
prevent vehicle theft from happening to you.
-- New Twitter Page: LoJack and NICB's Vehicle Theft Protection Twitter
page - http://twitter.com/TheftProtection - is designed to help drivers
better understand how to protect their cars, trucks and motorcycles from
theft. The Twitter page will be updated throughout the month of July
with daily theft prevention tips, statistics, links to news articles and
resources, and more.
-- Downloadable Booklet: "Get in the Know" - http://bit.ly/kZt94
- is an educational booklet co-produced by LoJack and NICB that details
the steps owners can take to protect their vehicles from theft.
"In today's challenging economy, many people are keeping their vehicles longer, which is creating a brisk business for thieves who steal popular cars, trucks, motorcycles and heavy equipment, strip them down and sell off the parts," said D.J. Thompson, Law Enforcement Director for LoJack and theft prevention expert. "Since July and August are the highest vehicle theft months of the year and a time when so many families are enjoying summer drive vacations, it's more important than ever that people understand how to keep their vehicles safe from theft. Thieves know just how and when to strike and that is when your vehicle is most vulnerable. That's why LoJack and NICB team up on this important education initiative."
What Can Consumers Do to Keep Their Vehicles Safe?
By combining common sense approaches, theft prevention and immobilization devices and tracking/recovery systems, consumers can protect their vehicles from theft.
The first important step:
Use Common Sense Measures. Never leave keys in the vehicle with the engine running. Don't hide a spare key in the vehicle. Close all windows and lock all doors when leaving your vehicle. Park in a well-lit area and, when at home, keep your vehicle in the garage. Don't leave valuables visible in your car, particularly those items that include information on your identity -- thieves can drive off not only with your car, but your identity as well.
The second step:
Use Theft Prevention Products. A thief is less inclined to steal your vehicle if it has visible and audible warning devices like a wheel lock or alarm system.
The third step:
Use Immobilization Devices. Immobilizers--which include smart keys, kill switches and fuel cut-off devices--offer another means of protection and make it that much more difficult for a thief to steal your vehicle.
The fourth step: Use a Tracking and Recovery System. Since thieves can typically disarm most theft prevention devices, recovery systems provide the peace of mind that you'll get your car back -- often quickly -- in the event it is stolen. The most effective systems are directly integrated into law enforcement, use Radio Frequency technology, which has proven to be optimal for recovering stolen cars and motorcycles, and are covert so they cannot be disengaged.
LoJack/NICB Vehicle Theft Protection Program
Now in its third year, LoJack and NICB's Vehicle Theft Protection Program is an education initiative designed to help owners of cars, motorcycles, construction equipment and commercial vehicles better understand how to protect their assets from theft. To learn more about vehicle theft protection, visit LoJack's Knowledge Center at www.lojack.com/knowledge or NICB's website at www.nicb.org and click on "Theft & Fraud Awareness."
About LoJack Corporation
LoJack Corporation, the company that invented the stolen vehicle recovery market more than two decades ago, is the global leader in finding and recovering a wide range of mobile assets including cars, construction equipment and motorcycles--having recovered more than $5 billion USD in stolen assets worldwide. In today's rapidly changing world, LoJack's core competencies are more valuable and more relevant than ever as they are now being applied into new areas, such as the prevention, detection and recovery of stolen cargo and finding and rescuing people with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's and autism. LoJack has the proven processes, ultimate technology for recovery--Radio Frequency--and unique integration with law enforcement agencies, making its offerings the most effective solutions that not only deliver a wide range of recoveries, but also enhance the safety of the public on a global level. LoJack's Stolen Vehicle Recovery System operates in 27 states and the District of Columbia, and in more than 30 countries throughout North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. For more information, visit www.lojack.com.
About NICB
Headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through information analysis, investigations, training, legislative advocacy and public awareness. The NICB is supported by more than 1,000 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote nearly $343 billion in insurance premiums in 2008, or more than 82 percent of the nation's property/casualty insurance. To learn more visit www.nicb.org.
CONTACT:
Paul McMahon
LoJack Corp.
781-251-4130
Frank Scafidi
NICB
916-979-7025
Jeanne Bock
Tier One Partners
781-861-5249
Laura Feng
Tier One Partners
978-975-1414
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