Is Car Theft a Big Problem in Sandy Springs?

Car theft isn’t nearly as bad a problem as it was way back in the early 1990s, when more than 1.5 million vehicles a year were being stolen off U.S. streets. Today, there are fewer than half as many, thanks to increased vigilance, stepped-up law enforcement and technological advances.

But when you own a car, you still can’t afford to let your guard down, especially not in certain cities.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau is out with its annual “Hot Spots” report ranking hundreds of U.S. metro areas by their rates of auto theft. Communities saw up to 780 car thefts last year for every 100,000 of their residents, the NICB says.

You probably had to work hard and save a lot for your set of wheels, so you don’t want to let your car fall into a thief’s clutches. Read on to learn how common vehicle theft is in Sandy Springs, and get some tips to protect your cherished “baby.”

The lowdown on car theft in Sandy Springs

The NICB has calculated auto theft rates using 2018 data from the National Crime Information Center. The lowest-ranking U.S. metro area had a mere 18 thefts for every 100,000 people, and the highest had almost 800, as we’ve said.

Here’s the rate of car thefts for Sandy Springs, according to the study: There were 322.4 car thefts per every 100,000 residents in 2018.

That ranks the local area at No. 73 out of 382 U.S. metropolitan statistical areas, the researchers say.

The ranking is based on the 19,184 vehicle thefts that authorities say were reported in Sandy Springs during 2018.

Smaller communities often rank much higher than some of the largest metro areas in the U.S., because of a matter of perspective. When you do the math, a few hundred car thefts in an area with a relatively low population can seem worse than tens of thousands in a big city that has a huge population to absorb the problem.

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Keeping your car safe

Car owners can do their part so the numbers of vehicle thefts will keep coming down. Often it just means not being stupid: From 2013 through 2015, nearly 150,000 cars were reported stolen because the keys had been left inside, says the NICB. (What, you were just making a quick dash into a store having a 75%-off sale? That’s no excuse!)

The insurance industry group recommends four layers of protection to stop car thieves. The first and most cost-effective approach is to use common sense: take the keys out of the ignition; lock doors and close windows; and park in well-lit areas.

Give your vehicle a second layer of protection by using a device that shows or tells a thief to leave your car alone. These might include a lock on the brake pedal, a collar secured around the steering column, or a very loud alarm.

Time to buy a new car — with built-in alarm system? Find out what you can afford by calculating your monthly car loan payment.

You'll triple up on your vehicle protection by installing a gadget that can immobilize your car and make it impossible for a thief to take it. Examples include a "smart" ignition key with a computer chip inside, or a fuel disabler.

The NICB says give your car a fourth and final coat of protection by installing a tracking device, which will send a signal to police or a monitoring station to help authorities recover your vehicle faster.

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