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Crime alert: Car decals make you a target

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crime alert, man in black with ski mask prying door with blue metal bar

It’s been trending for quite a while now. They come in various styles, sizes, colors and themes. Whether you’re a soccer mom, gun-totin’ grammy or expert huntsman, there’s a car decal out there for you! We’ve all seen the cute stickers that display little cartoon families complete with dogs or cats. I’ve seen skeleton families, emoji families and several other kinds. There are also the “Proud Parent of” decals that let the people in the car behind you know that your child’s on the honor roll. Everyone loves stickers, right? You might be surprised to know who loves car decals the most: Criminals! This is a crime alert post.

The stick family decals on your rear car window are sharing a lot more private information about you to the world than you realize. Nowadays, it’s not a matter of IF you have criminals in your town, it’s a matter of where they are, because, trust me, they’re there. Window stickers that are meant to be whimsical, festive and fun can actually make you an (easier) target for a crime.

Remember this crime alert info the next time you put a sticker on your car

If you’re a proud military wife, we salute you! We also thank your husband for his courageous service to our country. We understand why you’re so proud of him — just, please– don’t plaster a family sticker on your car window with a cartoon dad in uniform. Criminals often study window decals in parking lots, driveways and anywhere they see parked cars. Your seemingly innocent little military servicemember decal lets Mr. Potential Criminal know that there’s a chance the man of the house is out of the country, or, at least, is often away from home. The following list includes other common car decals that give information to home burglars, car thieves, child abductors and other criminals who are looking for easy targets:

  • Having family stickers on your window lets potential criminals know how many people live in your house.
  • Adding names under those stickers gives personal information that child abductors can use against you.
  • If you have a personal parking space sticker on your car, you might be telling a criminal where you work.
  • Those honor roll decals typically include the school’s name, which tells people where your children go to school.
  • If you have a cat pictured with your family stickers, this tells criminals that you likely do NOT have a guard dog.
  • You know that “baby on board” decal that you thought helped you keep your infant safe while riding in a car seat? Yeah, well, it also tells people you will probably be carrying a baby on your way out of the store, which makes you an easier target.
  • A sticker illustrating your lap dog, along with doggie’s name, tells criminals the canine in your house is nothing to worry about.
  • A “proud member of the NRA” sticker lets the bad guys know you own guns. Criminals often follow vehicles with this sticker to learn the location of firearms they can steal at a future date.
  • Community stickers give them an idea of where you live, especially if you live in an apartment or condominium complex and have a parking permit on your car window.
  • Certain community stickers might reveal that you live in an affluent neighborhood.

Many people have decals like these on their vehicles. Keep this post in mind before plastering personal infographics on your rear window for your local crime cartels! I got to thinking as I was writing this crime alert post. I wonder if we could use fake stickers to throw off the enemy, such as posting a black belt karate guy that hints “You DO NOT want to mess with the person who owns this car!” Or, how about using a massive-sized dog sticker, even if you only have a teacup pet at home? We could invent stickers, too, like “Proud 5-time Winner of State Marksman Championship” and “Prize-winning Guard Dogs for Sale, call now!”

A particular crime alert study included interviews with hardened criminals. Results suggested that most criminals say they look for easy targets. This is especially true for those who commit crimes of assault against women. Many criminals say that, if a woman appears too confident or looks like she might put up a fight, they don’t even try to get near her. It’s sad that we live in a world where we should think twice before putting decals on our car that celebrate our families or our children’s achievements. But, the fact is — that IS the world we live in, and if safety is your ultimate goal, especially while traveling, you’ll want to be aware that vehicle stickers provide information about you that can make you a target for a crime.

 

 

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