The holiday shopping season is typically a joyous time of year. You get to shop for deals and find the perfect gifts for your loved ones, but the shopping season can also make your vehicle a tempting target for thieves and other sorts of criminal activity. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you, your car, and your purchases are safe and secure. Here are just a few options to consider as you prepare to shop this holiday season.
Valet Keys
Valet service at the mall can be a great benefit, as it prevents you from having to search for a parking spot in a crowded mall lot. However, you may be nervous about turning over your keys as you shop. Your auto locksmith can create a valet key, which is a special type of key that allows the valet driver to open the door and turn on the vehicle. The key will not work on your glove box, trunk, or locked center console, which means your personal items are safe while your vehicle is parked. This is particularly important if you've been shopping at other malls and have your purchases stored in the trunk. Simply give the valet driver this valet key and keep your regular car key with you in your purse or pocket.
Remote Starters
Remote starters can provide a bit of added peace of mind as you make your way to your vehicle. The starters are typically used in conjunction with a traditional remote car key fob, and they let you press a button to power on your vehicle even if you aren't in the car. When you turn the vehicle on with the remote starter, your interior vehicle lights can be wired to turn on, which can scare away anyone in the car or near it attempting to break in. Having the lights turn on will also make it easier for you to inspect the car before getting in to make sure it is safe. Some thieves may use a crowded parking lot as cover to break into cars without being detected, but having your car turn on, lights and all, can be enough to thwart a break-in.
Vehicle Alarms
Your car doesn't have to have an anti-theft system to provide you with a little added security. Your auto locksmith can program a new remote key fob for you with an included panic alarm. If you feel nervous as you approach your vehicle with your holiday shopping bags, simply press the alarm button to scare anyone near the vehicle away.
Be sure to have your car keys with you as you approach the parking lot after a day of holiday shopping, and talk to your auto locksmith about any additional steps you can take to keep you and your car safe this holiday shopping season. For more information, contact local professionals like Autolock Solutions.
Share10 October 2016
When you start a business, it's easy to forget about insuring your entire building and all of your inventory. Unfortunately, I made this mistake, and I ended up paying for it dearly when our place was robbed a few months after our store opened. I knew that I had to do something to improve our future security, so I contacted a business that offered locks, keys, and safes. They came out, rekeyed our entire building, replaced our safe with something that was a lot sturdier, and gave us all electronic codes to the keypads that controlled access to the building. Check out this blog to learn more about keeping your business safe.