Let's talk vehicles. A lot of us have them, but many of us also take for granted how valuable of a target they can be.

• to sell as a whole, or for parts
• to use for general transportation
• to use for transportation to commit crimes
• for vehicle cloning, where they are then resold

Don't make your vehicle a target to thieves unnecessarily. Here are some crime prevention tips to help you keep your vehicle secure and to lower the chances of your vehicle being targeted:

1) When parking your vehicle, turn off the ignition, lock the steering wheel (crank the wheel to either the left or right until it clicks) and take the keys with you. Choose areas to park where there is good lighting and video surveillance, if possible. Ensure your doors are locked and your windows are up.

2) At home, park your vehicle in a well-lit area of the driveway or street, or if you have a garage install motion-activated lighting inside so that any persons moving around inside it are illuminated. Although you must have your insurance and vehicle registration on you at all times while driving the vehicle, it's a safer choice to keep it in your wallet or purse and not in the vehicle, so that if your vehicle is stolen, they can't fraudulently register it to someone else without your consent.

3) Remove all valuables from your vehicle. Don't make your vehicle appealing by leaving cash, shopping bags or other valuables in plain sight inside your vehicle. If you must leave your valuables in the vehicle, place them in the trunk and lock it before leaving your vehicle.

4)  Never leave your car running with the keys inside. You wouldn't leave your front door wide open for strangers to walk into, so why would you leave your car idling unlocked for someone to come steal?

Lastly, for owner's of vehicles with a keyless fob ignition, be aware that the signal transmitted from your remote to your vehicle can be copied and used to steal your car in less than 30 seconds. This type of vehicle theft (called relay theft) is quite common and easily done with just a laptop or computer device and the signal from your key fob. A car thief only needs to be a few meters away from the fob to do it, meaning you could be walking away from your vehicle with the key in your pocket and have it stolen from right behind you. Here are some tips to prevent relay theft:

1) Protect the security of your vehicle by keeping your key fobs far away from any doors or windows in your home that a thief could walk up to, or if you must keep them close to the door, place them inside a metal box or signal blocking pouch (faraday bag) to prevent the signal from being transmitted.

2) Check to see if the key fob can be shut off. This is not available for all models, but it's worth checking into.

3) Invest in a good old fashioned steering wheel lock to deter thieves. A stolen signal wont do much good if they can't drive the car!

4) Ensure your vehicles' software is updated. You can check this in your vehicles' settings menu or check with your vehicle dealer when you bring it in for a service.