As winter ushers in its cold and snowy weather, it offers opportunities for car thieves who take advantage of people leaving their cars running to warm them up or defrost the windows. LoJack Corporation (NASDAQ:LOJN) has issued tips on how to keep vehicles safe from theft during the winter months.

According to theft prevention expert Patrick Clancy, Vice President of Law Enforcement for LoJack and former police sergeant, “Today’s clever thieves are particularly vigilant for thefts of opportunity especially in the winter months. One common sense tip for consumers is never leave a vehicle running unattended to warm it up or defrost the windows - even if you are only leaving your vehicle for a minute. Thieves know just how and when to strike and that is when your vehicle is most vulnerable.”

Want to Keep Your Vehicle Safe? By combining common sense approaches, theft prevention devices and tracking/recovery systems, you can protect your vehicle from theft.

The first important step: Use Common Sense Measures. Never leave keys in the car 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 car in the garage. Don’t leave valuables visible in your car.

The second step: Use Theft Prevention Products. A thief is less inclined to steal your car if it has visible and audible warning devices like a wheel lock or alarm system. Immobilizers-which include smart keys, kill switches and fuel cut-off devices-offer another means of protection.

The third 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 car and motorcycles-and are covert so they cannot be disengaged.

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