GPS Safety
Having a navigation system can be one of the biggest conveniences when going out of town or on long road trips. However, this convenience opens up many security risks that didn’t exist before navigation came about. A GPS device left mounted in your car could be an indicator to a thief that there might be other material wealth. Even if your navigation system is contained in your touch screen monitor that is now located in many cars, there is still a risk of theft. Thieves target nicer cars with GPS systems in them and when they break into the vehicle they can access all the places you have put into your navigation system. This includes your home address if you have saved that into your navigation system. A thief who picks his/her target carefully knows you’re not going to be back at the car for a while and won’t be home for some time either, according to the Department of Justice. Burglars gain confidence when they can be certain that the owner won’t be home to call the police. For example, say there is a ball game that has just started, a burglar can assume you will not be to your car or home within a few hours giving them an opportunity to do as they please and take what they can find. Being able to take your GPS and pull up your home address undisturbed, gives a robber this confidence.
Navigation System
If you have a GPS device such as a Garmin or one that can be removed from your vehicle you should get in the habit of removing your GPS from the vehicle every time you leave. If it is too big to fit into your purse you can put it into your glove box or under your seat. Be sure not to leave your GPS in plain sight you would not leave your Smartphone or tablet in the car for someone to see. If you can see marks from the mount on your windshield you should wipe them off so a burglar doesn’t know you have a gps.
If you cannot secure your device, if it is in your dash in your monitor then do not put your home address under the tab “Home”. Instead under the home tab you can put the address of something near your home such as a police station, this way if someone steals your car they cannot find out where you live. Make sure that the destination is far enough away but still close so that you still know how to get home. Some GPS manufacturers have devices that require pins in order to gain access into the controls. If you can drive safely by using your Smartphone for GPS then you can certainly do that. Most people will not leave their phones or tablets in their cars but often will leave their GPS on the dash not thinking about the possible dangers. Another idea to keep in mind is that if your car is stolen and you have your home address in the system and your garage door opener in the vehicle, the theft can access your house through your garage door opener. Make sure to take precautions when entering your home address into any device that can be stolen, if you do choose to enter it into your GPS device or navigation system then make sure the address is not labeled as “home”.
If you have any questions about your navigation system located in the console of your vehicle and are close to Annapolis, Maryland, Dover, Delaware, Easton, Maryland, and Salisbury, Maryland please visit us today at Preston Ford located in Hurlock, Maryland!
About Preston Automotive Group
Preston Automotive Group services the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania area with Ford, Lincoln, Mazda, Hyundai and Nissan brands and used cars and trucks of all makes and models. The auto group carries the largest selection of new and used cars. Additionally, the dealership services all makes and models, both imported and domestic cars with ASE certified and factory trained technicians.
To learn more, visit https://www.prestonmotor.com/
