Why Thieves Pick Certain Cars and How to Protect Yours

WA Auto Theft Prevention Authority via Facebook

July is National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month. Taking a few small precautions can make all the difference in keeping your vehicle safe from thieves.

The Richland Police Department reminds motorists to protect your vehicle in just a few steps:

Before you walk away, always lock your doors, take your keys or key fob with you, keep valuables out of sight, and never leave your vehicle running unattended. If you have one, use an anti-theft device like a steering wheel lock. A few seconds of prevention can save you the headache of a stolen vehicle.

According to the WA Auto Theft Prevention Authority, thieves are always looking for easy targets. Don't help them. Don't leave valuable items in your vehicle. Keep valuables out of sight, or take them with you.

What NOT to Leave in Your Vehicle

• Wallets, purses, cash, or loose change
• Phones, tablets, laptops
• Keys
• Firearms
• Jewelry
• Personal documents

Steps to Take to Keep Your Vehicle Safe

• ALWAYS lock your vehicle doors
• Take your key FOB
• Use a Faraday pouch - it blocks signal cloning, keeping your key data safe

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2023 Best Looking State Patrol Cars In (Almost) Every State

For the past 10 years, the American Association of State Troopers has held a contest to determine which state has the best looking patrol cruiser. Nearly every state police agency submits their best photo of their sharpest patrol vehicle a chance to win the coveted cover photo on the association's annual calendar. From cop cars rushing through blizzards to vehicles on the Grand Ole Opry stage, here are this 2023's nominees.

Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll

LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving

To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.

Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.

Gallery Credit: Sophia Crisafulli

Source: Most Stolen Cars in Washington Had One Thing in Common: Unlocked Doors

Filed Under: Richland