Memorial Day Is One of the Most Popular for Car Thefts, Inilex Warns
Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) May 22, 2014 -- Inilex®, a leading provider of automotive telemetry solutions, warns car owners that Memorial Day is one of the top five holidays for car thefts, with thieves eager to prey on those who leave their vehicles unattended for long periods of time as they party, participate in outdoor activities and travel. A few simple tips can help car owners keep their vehicles safe over the holiday weekend, or to at least mitigate their damages if they fall victim to auto theft.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau’s holiday theft report shows that 2,078 cars were reported stolen in the United States on Memorial Day 2012, the last year for which data is available. Christmas Day reported the lowest theft rates of any major holiday, with just 1,347 vehicles stolen.
Overall, auto thefts are on the rise. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program released statistics showing that U.S. auto thefts rose in 2012 for the first time in eight years, and more than $4.3 billion was lost nationwide to motor vehicle thefts.
Victims of car theft, even those with quality insurance, can expect to pay more than $8,000 in out-of-pocket costs associated with their deductibles, lost personal items, loaner vehicles and other fees, as depicted in this infographic, “The Real Cost of Car Theft.” As such, it is imperative that motorists either prevent a theft or recover their stolen vehicles as quickly as possible.
“Memorial Day can be a field day for car thieves who are out to take advantage of unsuspecting car owners that leave for three-day trips or even prolonged get-togethers with friends and family,” said Michael Maledon, CEO of Inilex. “For one, people tend to leave their cars in foreign locations all day or overnight while they’re out enjoying themselves. It can also be difficult to distinguish a would-be thief because many neighborhoods see an influx in visitors over the holiday weekend.”
Inilex offers these five tips to help protect car owners from thievery this Memorial Day:
1. Take a cab both to and from your Memorial Day party, rather than leaving your car at your destination and cabbing it home. A car left overnight is an open invitation to lurking thieves.
2. Many people park their cars in different neighborhoods to attend barbecues, parties and outdoor events. If you’re leaving your car in a foreign location, make sure to park in a well-lit, populated area, such as a busy parking lot. Not only is this safer for your car, but it is also safer for you walking to and from it.
3. Double check that your doors are locked, windows are rolled up and do not leave an extra key in or around your car. If you plan to leave your car parked in front of your house for a long period of time while you’re away, make plans for a neighbor to periodically check on it.
4. Do not store anything of value in your car or, at a minimum, keep it in the trunk or out of sight. Not only is it an open invitation for crooks, but most car insurance won’t cover these items if they’re stolen.
5. Install a GPS-enabled device that can instantly track your car. If your vehicle is stolen, you want the ability to find it immediately so the thief can be caught and your car can be recovered before it’s stripped. As a bonus, most insurance companies will offer a discount on your insurance premium if your vehicle is equipped with a theft-recovery device.
Inilex manufactures and sells SkyLINK – an intelligent vehicle recovery device that uses GPS and cellular technologies to locate stolen vehicles in real time. Unlike other car theft-recovery devices, SkyLINK provides broad, nationwide coverage and it works with all law enforcement agencies.
About Inilex
Headquartered in Phoenix, Inilex® is an Inc. 500|5000 company and the industry-leading provider of intelligent telemetry solutions. It combines the power of the Global Positioning System (GPS) with the flexibility of a best-in-class wireless messaging system to develop telemetry solutions for businesses and consumers alike. Inilex is online at http://www.inilex.com. The company was named one of America’s Most Promising Companies by Forbes in 2013 and 2014, a Deloitte Technology Fast 500 company, and its technology has won numerous awards including the Connected World 100 for four consecutive years.
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Claire Mylott, Four Corners Communications, +1 (303) 257-2928, [email protected]
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