When people head out town and leave their homes unattended, it follows that break-ins should tick upward. So, if you’re heading out of town for Thanksgiving and plan to leave your car behind, it’s worth a reminder: lock it up when you leave.
Thanksgiving isn’t the worst holiday for break-ins, but the National Insurance Crime Bureau found at least 1,777 auto thefts were reported in 2016 on Thanksgiving. The records are culled from the National Crime Information Center’s stolen vehicle file.
The annual day of food and football (go Lions) fell in the bottom-tier of Stolen Vehicle Holidays, among Christmas Day (1,664); Valentine’s Day (1,789); President’s Day (2,008); and Christmas Day (2,054).
Whether you’re traveling through a hellscape of traffic to meet family or friends, or you’re bracing for a flight to head out this weekend, whatever the case—try to put your mind at ease before you leave, especially if you have a vehicle that’s prone to be stolen.
Lock your car up.