The warning signs always tell us never to leave valuable things inside the car. But the truth is that even if we’re not leaving our smartphones, tablets, laptops, money, and jewelry inside the car, there’s still a possibility that criminals will take an interest in it. Leaving a grocery shopping bag with nothing but a bag of lettuce and some carrots in it will still be a “hot item.”
Store Them in Toolboxes
You can use your flatbed toolbox as a storage space. Since this particular toolbox lies flat on the bed or floor of your car, it is unlikely that criminals will notice it even if they use a flashlight to see into your parked car. Using an ordinary toolbox that the criminals can see from the windows is also a no-no. Burglars know that car tools are expensive, and they can sell these for a couple of hundreds of dollars. They might take interest to take the toolbox from your car. Make sure that the box is well-concealed.
Use the Glove Compartment
Thankfully, many cars today are making their glove compartments larger. You can fit in some documents there, as well as your purse if needed — though, again, this is highly advised against. This is probably the safest place where you can store your things when you need to leave your car in a parking lot.
Put the Things Under the Front Seats
The good thing about having a high-seating car is that there is enough space under the front seats to store things. You can leave a briefcase and even your kid’s diaper bag under the front seats. Just make sure to adjust the seats in such a way that they will cover the bag. If the burglars try to see inside your car from the windows and they see the bag’s handle peeping from under the seats, they might think that there’s something valuable in it to break your car’s windows.
Slide Documents in the Gaps Between Chairs
That gap between the driver’s seat and the center console is not just to collect the crumbs from the food you eat or the dimes and nickels you accidentally drop. You can use it to slide in envelopes and documents that you don’t need to carry with you. There’s no way people looking from the windows can see into those gaps.
Still, if you can help it, try not to leave valuables inside your car. As for grocery shopping bags and documents you don’t need to bring with you to wherever you’re going, hide them well and away from the prying eyes of criminals who are looking through your car’s windows for something valuable to steal.
Although the car is not a safe place to leave your things, especially valuable ones, the circumstances you find yourself in might force you to store your purse in it. If you find yourself having to do this, try not to be too far away from your car or leave it for too long. The longer your things are left inside the car, the greater the chances of criminals finding out that there’s something they can get their hands on in your vehicle.
