I’ve seen too many road trips derailed by stolen luggage, smashed windows, or ‘smash-and-grab’ thefts. But with a mix of clever tricks and the right insurance, you can keep your gear safe — even if you’re parked in a sketchy motel lot.
Best of all, most of these tips are 100% free to implement. They just require some street smarts!
Erika Recommends
- Faraday bags
Signal-blocking bags to prevent “relay attacks.” - Lemonade
Renters insurance that protects your belongings even when they’re not at home. - Chase Freedom Flex®
Covers up fo $800 if your phone is stolen.
The Basics: Free and Easy Anti-Theft Tactics
1. Always act as if thieves are watching
It’s not a pleasant thought, but it can be a practical one. If you knew thieves were watching you park (and simply driving away wasn’t an option), would you act differently?
You might park in a brightly lit area or near an obvious security camera, roll up your windows, lock your doors, take your valuables with you… The list goes on.
These are the kinds of habits you want to practice every time you park, no matter the location or situation. Because statistically, one of these days the bad guys might actually be watching!
2. Park strategically
Thieves often target vehicles not because of what they are, but where they are.
In other words, a car that’s parked all by itself on a dim side street is a far juicier target than one parked on a busy street surrounded by people and cameras.
So when you’re considering where to park — whether for lunch or overnight — keep in mind that thieves generally tend to avoid areas that are:
- Well-lit
- Surrounded by people and traffic
- Covered by security cameras
- Patrolled by live security personnel or police
In parking garages specifically, if you have the option, choose a well-lit space, beneath a camera and/or near lots of foot traffic (i.e., by the elevator).
3. Bring your valuables with you
One of the best ways to protect your valuables is to never, ever leave them in your car in the first place.
Laptops, smartphones, cameras, jewelry, and other expensive stuff are significantly harder to steal from your house or hotel room than from your unattended car, which is little more than a glass box.
Heck, criminals aren’t even worried about the sound of broken glass anymore. Bad guys in San Francisco have devised a technique called “bipping,” which involves silently cracking glass using porcelain.
So rather than risk it, bring your goodies with you whenever possible.
READ MORE: Protecting Your Belongings While Traveling
4. If you can’t bring valuables with you, store them in the trunk
If you can’t bring your stuff with you, the next best place to leave it is inside the trunk.
Compared to your car’s main cabin, your trunk has no convenient window for criminals to peer through and “bip” if they see something nice. Plus, your trunk is harder to access all around, especially if you park backwards towards a wall.
If you drive a truck, hatchback, or SUV with an exposed trunk area, you can buy a cargo cover that provides a little extra concealment and protection for your valuables.
Lastly, it’s best to migrate your valuables to your trunk before you even arrive at your final destination. That way, the baddies onsite won’t see you do it.
5. Document your valuables and serial numbers
Lastly, every valuable you own should have its receipt, photograph, and serial number documented somewhere — ideally in the cloud.
That way, if the item is ever stolen, you can share this information with the police and your insurance provider.
Police can more easily track it that way, and without proof of purchase, many insurance companies will only pay out 50% of the item’s MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price).
RELATED: How To Keep Your Valuables Safe While Traveling
Anti-Theft Gadgets that Actually Work
Wheel locks
Wheel locks are lug nuts that require a special key to remove from your wheels, making them ever-so-slightly harder to steal. Here’s what they look like.
You can buy a set for around $25, screw one onto each wheel, and keep the key in your trunk for when your mechanic or roadside assistance needs to remove your wheels.
Of course, wheel locks aren’t impregnable, but they’re a powerful deterrent for thieves looking for a quick and easy score.
Steering wheel locks
Steering wheel locks are simple, sub-$30 devices that physically lock your steering wheel into place while your car is parked.
If you drive a luxury vehicle — or your car appears on the most-stolen vehicles list — a steering wheel lock can be a cheap and easy way to give yourself extra peace of mind.
Better still, depending on your car's make and year, you might be able to get one for free from your local police department. Call your PD’s non-emergency line or Google “Free steering wheel lock [your city]” to learn more.
Faraday bags
Another rising form of auto theft is the “relay attack.” Here’s how it works:
- Two thieves spot a car they want to steal or break into.
- Thief 1 stands by your house to amplify your car key’s radio signal.
- Thief 2 uses the amplified signal to break in or copy a new key and drive off.
Thankfully, relay attacks are easily and effortlessly foiled. Just store your keys in a $10, signal-blocking Faraday bag while you’re not driving.
Honorable mention: tinted windows
Tinted windows are controversial in the anti-theft community. Some say that darkening your windows is a no-brainer since it makes it harder for thieves to peek inside. Others say it's a theft magnet because it makes a thief more curious. Of course, plenty of folks say it makes no difference at all.
But I’m still giving tinted windows an honorable mention here due to their litany of other benefits.
First, since tinting is just a giant sticker, it helps to prevent glass from shattering or entering the cabin. It also protects you from harmful UV rays, preserves your interior, and helps keep your car cool so you don’t have to blast the A/C as often.
RELATED: Best Road Trip Travel Tips
Does Insurance Cover Stuff Stolen From Your Car?
Yes, but perhaps not the form of insurance you’re thinking of.
Believe it or not, your auto insurance provider won’t do much if your stuff gets stolen from your car. Comprehensive auto insurance may cover the damage resulting from the break-in (e.g., busted windows, broken locks), but it won’t cover the personal items the thief took from your car.
That said, if you have homeowners or renters insurance, it might actually cover stuff stolen from your car (up to your policy limits).
Most home/renters policies, such as Lemonade, include “personal effects coverage,” which covers your personal property, whether it’s inside your home or not.
COMPARE: Best Renters Insurance
Your credit card benefits may provide some protection as well. Some cards, like the Chase Freedom Flex®, include a benefit called cellphone protection, which can reimburse you up to a set amount (typically around $800 per claim) if your phone is stolen.
READ MORE: Insurance and Protection for Road Trips
Chase Freedom Flex®
All information about the Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by Erika.com. The Chase Freedom Flex® is no longer available through Erika.com.
Rewards Rate
- 5% cashback on rotating categories each quarter (up to $1,500 in purchases, then 1%; activation required) and travel purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 3% on dining and drugstore purchases
- 1% on all other spending
Welcome Offer
Earn $200 cashback after spending $500 in the first 3 months
Annual Fee
$0
What to Do if Your Stuff Gets Stolen from Your Car
Unfortunately, none of the above tools or tactics is 100% guaranteed to stop a thief. In fact, the only surefire way I know of to prevent break-ins is to buy a bulletproof Rezvani Tank.
If the worst should happen, what’s next?
- Call the police using a non-emergency line: Unless you feel unsafe, it’s best to call a non-emergency line so you can report the theft and get an official police report.
- Take tons of photos: Photos may improve your chances of seeing justice — and having your insurance claim approved.
- Document your losses: Both police and insurance will want to know precisely what was stolen, its dollar value, and ideally its serial number for better tracing.
- File claims: Depending on the magnitude of the loss, you may want to file a claim with your homeowners or renters insurance for reimbursement. Just keep in mind that the deductibles on personal effects coverage are often high ($500 or $1,000) and that filing claims can sometimes raise your premiums.
RELATED: What to Do in a Roadside Emergency
FAQs About Protecting Your Belongings
Does car insurance cover stolen personal items?
Auto insurance typically doesn’t cover personal items that are stolen from your car. Your homeowners or renters insurance, however, might.
Check your policy for “personal effects coverage,” which usually applies to your personal items whether they’re at home or not.
How can you prevent car break-ins?
There’s no surefire way to prevent car break-ins (short of parking at a police station), but you can greatly reduce the likelihood by making your car a far less appealing target.
Empty your car of all personal items, hide whatever you can’t take with you in the trunk, park in a crowded, well-lit space, and use additional theft deterrents like steering wheel locks and Faraday bags to beef up your security.
Should I call 911 after a car break-in?
Unless you feel unsafe, it’s best to call a police department’s non-emergency line to have an officer come out and meet you. You might wait a bit longer, but you’ll definitely want to file a police report to:
- Have proof of the incident to give your insurance company, increasing your chances of having your claim approved.
- Help bring the perp to justice.
- Increase your chances of getting your stuff back.
TL;DR: How to Protect Belongings in Your Car
Protecting personal items in your car is a two-part effort.
Part 1 is to remove as many valuables as possible so there’s nothing to steal in the first place.
Part 2 is making your car as unappealing a target as possible — park in a busy, well-lit area, use theft deterrents like steering wheel locks, and hide your remaining valuables in the trunk.
Should the worst still happen, take tons of photos, share your serial numbers with police, and obtain a copy of the police report ASAP. All three will also help you file an insurance claim and may even lead to the police catching the baddie and returning your stuff.
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Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
