According to California Department of Justice statistics, 175,351 vehicles were stolen in California in 2017. How can you keep your car from becoming part of the car theft stats for 2018? Car theft is like most other crimes—if thieves see an opportunity, they’ll take advantage of the situation. However, if the theft appears too risky, they’ll move on.

Common Precautions.

Make a habit of locking your car whenever left unattended. That includes when making a quick run into the grocery story, stopping to pick up or drop off your kids at daycare, when it’s parked in the driveway and even while it’s in your garage.

Don’t leave your car running when you’re not in it—that’s a car thief’s dream. The car is unlocked and already running. All the thief has to do is open the door, put it into drive and go.

Use a visible anti-theft device. A thief isn’t going to bother stealing a car when a device is attached to the steering wheel. There are other, easier targets to choose from.

Install a car alarm system. Although it seems most car alarms go off inadvertently and are generally ignored, when an attempted break-in does occur, the alarm is enough to scare a thief away.

Park Smart. Park your car in well-lighted parking lots and structures monitored by security patrols. Thieves don’t want to be seen or noticed.

If you must regularly leave your car outside overnight at home, consider installing security cameras and motion-detector lights focused on your car.

Stealing Cars Is Big Business. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the top five car models stolen in 2017 in California were older model Honda Civics, Honda Accords, full size Chevrolet pickups, full size Ford pickups and Toyota Camrys.

Why older cars? Because the cars can be stripped of their parts and these parts are then sold in a high-demand aftermarket. Doors, engines, transmissions and radios are best sellers. Consider investing in a vehicle recovery system that helps law enforcement track and recover stolen vehicles before damage to your car can be done.