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Every car owner wants to protect their vehicle from theft, but what may be surprising to some people is that not all vehicle security devices work the same. Although almost all of the antitheft devices out there claim to be the "best," the truth, unknown to many, is that auto security systems are just one portion of making your car theft proof.

Common sense is by far the best, and most effective method, to deter vehicle theft. The first thing that common sense demands is to make sure that you don't leave your keys in the car, and don't attempt to hide the key either. Secondly, always use your door locks, and make sure that you roll up the windows. Finally, make certain that you park your car in a safe place, and one that is well lit. When you make things more difficult for a thief, they are more likely to pass on your vehicle and move to an easier target.

It may not make a big difference which auto security system you select, because any of them will be a good deterrent against thieves trying to steal your car. Don't worry too much about their makers' claims. Whichever system that you buy needs to fit your needs and those of your car, and you need to use that system consistently to maximize its effectiveness.

Many devices that track cars so that they can be recovered after a theft has occurred are also good deterrents, because such GPS devices tell police where your car is. Many car thieves are amateurs and do not know how to disconnect these devices, so making it obvious that your car has a GPS device attached is a good way to convince thieves to move on to another target.

A subtle way to deter car thieves is etching your car's VIN number into the glass, which will allow car parts to be tracked if your car is stolen and then broken up into parts for sale. Thieves who see these numbers will decide to try stealing another car instead.

Some cars are more likely than others to be stolen. There are several magazines that provide listings of the most commonly stolen vehicles. When looking for a new car, it may be wise to check these lists and try to avoid any vehicle that has found its way on to the list. These cars, whether they have a security system or not, seem to be more attractive to thieves.