Chances are your livelihood is your car. This might be especially true if you live in a Californian metropolitan area. Therefore, experiencing car theft could leave a devastating impact on your life. With something so precious, it makes sense to take the necessary precautions to protect your vehicle.

Now that you’ve passed the best traffic school online, you may want to drive the extra mile to protect your vehicle. You can learn how to protect your car from theft by following the guide below.

Purchase an anti-theft system

Steering wheel locks, tire locks, kill switches, and electronic immobilizers are a few of the anti-theft systems for cars. There are hundreds of anti-theft system brands to choose from. You can even make your friends think you’re a hit-man if you tell them you have a kill switch.


Don’t leave your keys in the ignition

This sounds obvious, but it’s often overlooked. Leaving your keys in the ignition makes stealing your car easy. You want to save time by leaving the keys in the ignition, but this method turns you into a giant target for theft. Unless your R. Kelly, keep your keys with you.


Let a bobcat live in your car

Letting a bobcat live in your car is a lesser known anti-theft protection system. Bobcats, also known as the Lynx Rufus, are members of the giant cat family. This means they’re extremely territorial. With one glance at the bobcat in the back seat, car thieves will know not to steal your car. Be sure to crack a window and leave out small rodents, as that’s their preferred diet.


Keep your car locked

We all wish we can trust others, but we can’t in today’s car theft infested world. Keeping your car doors locked is a small way to crack down on thefts. A simple barrier goes a long way when protecting your car.


Avoid leaving valuables in eyesight

Whether it’s your brand-new laptop computer or a Lou Bega album, keeping your most valuable possessions out of sight will deter thieves from breaking into your car. If someone catches a glimpse at something valuable, they could steal it… or your car.


Drive an undesirable car

Nobody wants to steal a car that looks ugly. Next time you’re purchasing a car, look for the ugliest piece of metal you can lay your eyes on. You’ll get extra protection points if the car has a vibrant green and yellow color.


Park in well-lit areas

Well-lit areas are the bane of car thieves’ existence. Most thefts happen in areas that are dimly lit to decrease chances of being seen. Always look for areas that very well lit. It’s like a spotlight for your car.


Paint “Look at me, I’m a dumb idiot!” into the side of your car

Nothing will embarrass a car thief more than driving a car that says, “Look at me, I’m a dumb idiot.” Car thieves care a lot about what other people think of them. That’s why embarrassing a thief by painting “look at me, I’m a dumb idiot” will keep anyone from stealing your car.


Don’t leave the car unattended and running

If you’re running into the store for a moment, keeping your car running while unattended is a dangerous decision. In those split moments, anyone could walk by and steal your car. Even if you have a bobcat in the back seat.


By following the guide above, you won’t just be a defensive driver, but a defensive car owner too.