WESTWOOD, Mass. — In an effort to help dealers protect their inventory from theft, LoJack announced it has compiled a list of theft protection tips based on data from the recoveries of LoJack-equipped vehicles stolen from dealer lots over the last four years. 

The company main recommendation is that dealer used a layered approach to minimize the chances of theft and to maximize the return of vehicle if they are stolen.

“We’re seeing an uptick in this form of theft, in which professional thieves are targeting dealerships and driving away with cars on their lots,” said Patrick Clancy, vice president of law enforcement for LoJack Corp. “From breaking into dealer lots during off hours to stealing keys from the dealership, thieves are finding ways to get these vehicles. Because of this, dealers need to take extra precautions to protect their inventory — and business — from the losses associated with this type of theft.”

There have been at least 10 incidents since August 2011 in which thieves have used a variety of methods to steal vehicles directly off of dealer lots, according to LoJack. Two of the more recent cases led to the recovery of 11 stolen vehicles.  In most of these instances, dealers had pre-installed the LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System on their vehicles, which enabled law enforcement to track and recover those vehicles, as well as others that had been stolen by car thieves.

LoJack’s Theft Protection Tips for Dealers

Layer One: Use Common Sense Measures
• Never leave a vehicle running

• Never leave the keys in a vehicle

• Never let a customer test drive a vehicle unaccompanied

• Keep your keyboard locked during business hours

• Hide/remove the valet key

Layer Two: Protect Your Lot

• Make certain your lot is well lit at night

• Install on site security cameras

• Fence in your vehicles if possible

Layer Three: Ensure Recovery in the Event of Theft

• Consider pre-installing a recovery system: Using a system that both employs radio frequency and is directly integrated with law enforcement will ensure that your dealership is using the most effective measure to get stolen vehicles back.