Alan Piombo, Lieutenant

November 1, 2017

The San Rafael Police Department in partnership with Winner International, the maker of “The Club” steering wheel locks, is offering free vehicle anti-theft devices in an effort to reduce the theft of highly targeted stolen vehicles.  In the past year, there have been 290 vehicles reported stolen within the City of San Rafael.  The most targeted vehicles included 54 Honda Civics and 44 Honda Accords.  The Police Department has purchased a limited supply of “The Club Model 3000 - Twin Hooks”, which will be available at no charge to the owners of 1990-1999 Honda Civics and Accords which are registered in San Rafael.

The free steering wheel locks can be obtained by contacting the San Rafael Police Department by phone at 415-485-3000 or by email communityoutreach@srpd.org.

The only information required is the current registration of a 1990-1999 Honda Civic or Honda Accord with an address in the City of San Rafael.

Auto Theft Information and Awareness

According to FBI crime statistics, a car is stolen every 23 seconds. The experienced car thief can steal the average car in less than a minute. Most of the cars are seemingly stolen from transport, while others by the value of their parts. The most frequently stolen vehicles are the most popular vehicles sold in the last decade. Over the past five years, the most frequently stolen vehicles have been in the late 1980s and early 1990s model of the Toyota Camry, Honda Civic and Honda Accord. These vehicles have been attacked because of the ease with which they can be stolen. Owners of these vehicles must take precautions to prevent the vehicle from being stolen. Car thefts seem to occur more often where large groups of cars are stationed for long periods of time in places like shopping malls, schools, sporting events, movie complexes, and large apartment complexes. Car thefts occur randomly on different days of the week and hours of the day, depending on the location.

Here are some tips you can use to avoid being a victim of a car thief:

• Never leave your car running unattended
• Never leave the keys in the car or ignition
• Always rollup windows and lock the car when left unattended
• Never leave valuables in sight

• Always park well-lit areas, if possible
• Install a mechanical device that locks the steering, column or brake wheels
• Investigate the purchase of a vehicle tracking device and/or security system
• Never leave personal documents, vehicle titles or credit cards in your vehicle
• Keep copies of the license plate and vehicle identification numbers with you

• If your vehicle is stolen, report it to the police immediately

Remember, there is no guarantee that your car will not be stolen, but taking precautionary measures can minimize the chances of being the victim of car theft.