Common sense can help prevent vehicle theft

You’ve just bought

a used car on one of those websites where people sell everything from toasters to televisions to Toyotas and you’re very proud of yourself.

After all, you got such a great deal on the car that you tell your friends you practically stole it.

Then, a few months down the road, you’re stopped for a minor traffic violation and the police officer notices something isn’t right. He checks the vehicle identification number or VIN and finds out that there are two cars with that exact number.

Then he finds the real VIN on your car and gives you the bad news. Your car was a steal all right and you’re the one who will end up paying the price, even if you weren’t the one who stole it. Your car is towed away and you’re left without a set of wheels.

Turns out you don’t just have to have your car stolen to become a victim of auto theft.

“If you’re buying a car online from a private owner, you have to be real careful,” says Tony Liuzzi, director of loss prevention and asset management for the Craig Zinn Automotive

Group. “If you’re getting a deal that’s too good to be true, it probably is.”

A long-time private investigator involved with several organizations dedicated to reducing auto theft, Liuzzi says buying a used car from a reputable dealer is almost always your best bet.

“People buy stolen cars all the time because they don’t know what they’re buying,” he said.

That’s because auto thieves are becoming proficient at “cloning,” duplicating VINs of existing cars and placing them on stolen cars of the same make, model and color.

Liuzzi, whose job with the Craig Zinn Automotive Group is focused on keeping customers safe and making sure cars don’t leave the lot illegally, says there are several steps motorists can take to avoid having their cars stolen in the first place. And there are also steps you can take to secure items in your car.

Nationally, he says, more than one million cars are stolen every year and close to two thirds are recovered.

But a lot of cars stolen here in South Florida end up overseas where they’re no longer considered stolen vehicles.

Liuzzi estimates about 20 percent of cars stolen in Florida are sent to other countries.

So what can you do to keep your car from being taken from you?

Rule No. 1 is to use common sense. Locking your car is always a good place to start. Sure, there are ways criminals can defeat the locks but the harder you make it for them to steal your car, the more likely they are to look for an easier target.

Also, parking your car in a well-lit area is always a good idea and having lights in your driveway tied to a motion detector can also help deter theft.

Of course, it’s always best not to leave your car on when you’re not in it.

“A lot of people will leave their cars running,” Liuzzi says. “It’s an easy target.”

With push button start and stop ignition systems, it more common to find a car running that someone forgot to turn off, he said.

Car break-ins are also considered autorelated crimes. Liuzzi recommends securing any property in your car in the trunk or taking it with you.

That’s important whether you’re just stopping for gas and leaving a purse on the front seat or just having your car parked by a valet.

“If you have something in your car that you don’t want to lose, take it out before you hand your keys over to someone you don’t know,” Liuzzi says.

Liuzzi and the Craig Zinn Automotive Group make a dedicated effort to support those fighting auto theft. The dealership group sponsors quarterly Tri-County Auto Theft Intelligence meetings for law enforcement and other special units who deal with auto theft and related crimes and also supports many other community programs including police athletic leagues in several cities.

“The Zinns are very generous people who really care about their community,” Liuzzi said.