With the holidays and gift-giving upon us, burglars are on the prowl. This collection of tips from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office is a great reminder of the simple, practical things you can do to make your vehicle less of a target for burglars.

Vehicle Burglary Prevention Tips

1. Always lock your doors!

Many burglars are after an easy opportunity and will only target vehicles with unlocked doors, skipping locked cars. Locking your car doors does not guarantee you won’t be a victim, but it is the first and easiest deterrent.

2. Record serial and model numbers

Frequently stolen items such as car stereos, GPS devices, amplifiers, etc are often never recovered because the serial and model numbers were not written down and recorded.

3. Secure any valuables

Remember that your car’s locked doors or windows will not deter a criminal if they spot valuables inside. Remove anything valuable from your vehicle or hide them in the trunk so a burglar cannot see them. Make sure that you remove or hide high-value items such as GPS systems, mobile devices and tablets, laptops, purses and so on. A burglar will often look into a car first to see if there is anything worth stealing and will skip cars that appear to be empty.

4. Hide the remote for your garage door opener

You know that garage door remote you keep handy on your sun visor? It’s an excellent way for a burglar to get into your house without being detected — especially if you don’t lock the interior door between your house and garage. Make sure you hide the remote in your car (e.g., the glove box) or take it inside with you.

Learn more about vehicle theft in the United States with this helpful infographic.