You don't need sales figures to know how popular portable navigation systems have become, since they seem to hang from the windshield of every other car on the road. But we've also been hearing a lot about how popular portable navs have become among thieves, and we do have a staggering stat for that.
Ecommerce Journal reports that the FBI found that 24,700 portable navs were stolen in 2008, compared to 3,700 in 2006 -- a 700 percent increase in just two years.
Thieves used to target car radios. But now that the aftermarket is selling far fewer replacement head units, lowlifes breaking into cars are bypassing the radio in the dash and hoping to find a portable navigation system stashed in the glove box instead. And it's much easier pickings than having to yank out a radio and cut wires.
If car owners are stupid enough to leave a portable nav stuck to the windshield in plain sight -- or even just the device's windshield mount -- they're asking for a break-in in some parts of the country. But even the telltale round smudge a suction-cup mount leaves on the glass is enough to tip off thieves that a portable nav is probably in the car.
Here's GPSMagazine.com's list of tips to help keep your portable nav safe and out of the hot hands of thieves.
stovt001 says:
01:24 PM, 02/ 2/09
From the moment I got my portable GPS unit common sense dictated taking it with me whenever I left the car or hiding it deep in the trunk, and cleaning the suction smudge off the windshield. I'm sure its that second part that most people forget.
firstwagon says:
01:24 PM, 02/ 2/09
Those numbers may be misleading.
I'd imagine the number of people with them is up 700% in the last 2 years as well.
They were relatively rare just 2 years ago.
billt9 says:
02:56 PM, 02/ 2/09
This dissuades me from buying a portable nav. That same amount of money is better spent contributing to an upgraded audio system, which apparently now is not the target anymore.
stovt001 says:
04:58 PM, 02/ 2/09
billt9, just be smart about it and you'll be fine. Cars get broken into around my apartment all the time, but mine has never been touched. If you're not an obvious target (meaning you don't leave the GPS in the car and you clean the smudge) then they'll move on to a car that has an idiot for the owner.
billt9 says:
05:31 PM, 02/ 2/09
"Cars get broken into around my apartment all the time"
stovt001,
Where do you live I'll be sure to stay 100 miles away from it at all times.
Do you also have to plant a suction cup mark on your neighbor's car to increase your car's safety, and how do you do it discretely. Thanks for the advice in advance.
altimadude00 says:
05:32 PM, 02/ 2/09
I see a lot of people leave it stuck on the windshield when they park. I'm sure that if you toss it into the glove box when you aren't using it then it's fine.
steve_ says:
09:41 PM, 02/ 2/09
My portable NAV is a 3.5" screen size and fits on the gauge cluster on both my cars. So it's not too visible if I forget to remove it, and there's never a windshield smudge.
It's easy to hook your portable unit up to the vents or a cupholder. Check the CarSpace guides:
http://www.carspace.com/guides/home-made-GPS-vent-mount
stovt001 says:
10:53 PM, 02/ 2/09
billt9, Azusa, Ca. And actually, the car parked next to me has their nav just sitting there suctioned to the dash actually. No need for interference on my part, they're distracting the thieves enough on their own.
You don't have to be the smartest person in the world. You just have to be smarter than the guy parked next to you.
estreka says:
01:53 PM, 02/ 3/09
Do folks use their nav all the time? If I owned one, I'd only use it for cross country trips. Get to know the towns you live in, ppl.