Is Your Car Safe This Christmas?

It is quite unfortunate that the season for the greatest merrymaking of the year is also the season the most crime takes place. The reason is simple, criminals want to make 'good profit' and have a blast during Christmas too. There have been lots of stories about kidnappings, armed robbery attacks and online frauds already. A new trend seems to be car robbery - in the most unusual way, just when you think your car and everything in it is all safe and sound. 

So what is the miscreants latest trick? A nice lady shared her experience on Facebook and I think you'll benefit from it:

I locked my car. As I walked away I heard my car door unlock. I went back and locked my car again three times. Each time, as soon as I started to walk away, I would hear it unlock again!! Naturally alarmed, I looked around and there were two guys sitting in a car in the fire lane next to the store. They were obviously watching me intently, and there was no doubt they were somehow involved in this very weird situation. 

I quickly chucked the errand I was on, jumped in my car and sped away. I went straight to the police station, told them what had happened, and found out I was part of a new, and very successful, scheme being used to gain entry into cars. Two weeks later, my friend's son had a similar happening. 

While traveling, my friend's son stopped at a roadside rest to use the bathroom. When he came out to his car less than 4-5 minutes later, someone had gotten into his car and stolen his cell phone, laptop computer, GPS navigator, briefcase.....you name it. He called the police and since there were no signs of his car being broken into, the police told him he had been a victim of the latest robbery tactic -- there is a device that robbers are using now to clone your security code when you lock your doors on your car using your key-chain locking device..

They sit a distance away and watch for their next victim. They know you are going inside of the store, restaurant, or bathroom and that they now have a few minutes to steal and run. The police officer said to manually lock your car door-by hitting the lock button inside the car -- that way if there is someone sitting in a parking lot watching for their next victim, it will not be you.

When you hit the lock button on your car upon exiting, it does not send the security code, but if you walk away and use the door lock on your key chain, it sends the code through the airwaves where it can be instantly stolen

Be wisely aware of what you just read and please pass this note on. Look how many times we all lock our doors with our remote just to be sure we remembered to lock them -- and bingo, someone has our code...and whatever was in our car.

Snopes Approved --Please share with everyone you know

There you have it. Also make sure you keep bags, parcels and anything even vaguely attractive out of sight when you drive or park in public places. Better still, keep them in the car trunk, just to avoid drawing attention. Above all, be vigilant. Don't let anyone have a party at your expense!

Do be sure to check out these safety tips and also these tips on how to avoid getting robbed in traffic. Safety is good business.

Merry Christmas in advance. May we all be safe, happy and loving this season. 

Cover image via Carcareaide.com