9 Ways to Protect your Car Wheels/Rims when Parking Outside

How do I protect my car’s tyres from theft in Delhi? When one of our readers asked me this question, I was surprised to know that thieves have now come down to car tyres! We have heard of cars being stolen, I have personally seen batteries, infotainment and other expensive accessories being stolen but this was my first time to hear about the car’s rims being stolen. Maybe, the expensive aftermarket alloys or even the expensive company fitted rims have attracted the thieves to steal the wheels and sell them outside. To every problem, there is a solution! Here are 9 ways to protect your car wheels from theft when parking outside.

1. Park in traffic-dense areas
   

   

   When you are outside, make sure you park your car in a crowded area. No, we don’t mean that you should struggle to find a spot or park your car anywhere on the road. All we want to say is that make your car a less favourable target. Thieves look out for only one thing that is a car parked in a secluded place! No group of thieves would even touch a car that is parked at a place with the regular movement of people and traffic.

2. Motion-Sensor Assisted Car Alarm

   

   Security alarm can be of great use if your car is targeted anytime in the future. If you invest in a good quality motion assisted security alarm, it will notify you as soon as thieves try to lift your car up. Not only in this case, but the security alarm can also help you secure your car from any other kind of theft. The alarm will notify you even if someone tries to get inside while the car is locked. believe us, this is. really good investment.

3. Motion Sensor Dash Camera

   

   Another worthy investment you can make is a dashcam. Now you would say that this won’t help as the thieves would be down there at the wheel’s height. Just think about it again. Those who want to steal your rims will come in a vehicle and will flee away in the same vehicle too. Also, it’s very less likely that thieves are shorter than your car so your car’s dashcam will record their faces or their vehicle’s details which you can, later on, use as a proof in front of the police. Who knows, you might end up making the police bust the racket with just one smart move! Also, if your dashcam is motion assisted, it will notify you in case any jerk is detected in your car.

   Read Car Dash Cam | Why Should You Invest In It

4. Turn the wheels when parking

   

   Another measure you can take to protect your car wheels from theft is by parking with your wheels turned. Just to let you know, it is easier to loosen the nuts when the car is parked with straight wheels. This is not a sure shot method to prevent theft because some experienced thieves might carry machines to loosen the nuts but can reduce the probability of your car wheels being stolen.

5. Park close to the curb
   

   

   Another practice by which you can reduce the probability or simply protect your car wheels from theft is parking close to the curb. It’s really simple to understand that if a person tries to take the wheels off your car, they will need some space to pull it off. If you park your car close to the curb, it will limit the space for the thief hence, making it difficult to steal your vehicle’s rims. This requires no investment; it just requires you to be smart enough to trick the thief!

   Read 10 Most Common Car Problems and their Easy Solutions

6. Use Wheel Locks/Boots
   

   

   Wheel locks are the best method to protect your car wheels from theft. This is because these metal plates cover your wheel’s lug nuts to the fullest and don’t leave any chance of getting access to the nuts to steal the wheel. We know putting these covers every time you park your car can be a hassle but believe me it is definitely worth it. If you still don’t feel like using them every time, you can still use them in places where you need to park your car for long. This will benefit you for sure.

7. Specialty Lug Nuts Locks

   

   These locks can be used in place of the normal lug nuts. This can be a good method to prevent your car wheels from theft. These locks require special tools to loosen the nuts, and not everyone has that! Don’t worry, you will get the tool when you purchase them but the thief can be tricked well. Thieves expect the cars to be equipped with common nuts which can be opened using common tools, but this can be a life saviour if you want to protect your car wheels from theft. You can buy these from here.

   Read Alloy Wheels Vs Steel Wheels | GoMechanic Basics

8. Install a Close Circuit camera near your car

   

   Most of the Delhiites or people living in other cities too are not lucky enough to have a closed parking space for their car. While most of us park our cars in open spaces, we need to keep them secure. We can invest in a CCTV camera that always points to the place our car is parked at. This can be useful as you can see if anything fishy happens near your car. CCTV is never a bad investment believe me!

9. Cover your car completely
   

   

   This can be a great way out to protect your car’s tyres or wheel from being stolen. The thief will never get to know whether your car has got mid-ranged steel wheels or some expensive flashy alloys. This can reduce the probability of your car being targeted by the thief. Also, covering your car can give you additional benefits like protecting your car’s paint and helping you avoid scratches on the surfaces too.

These were the 9 measures you can follow if you want to protect your car wheels from theft! These investments might sound expensive but can be of great use especially if you live in an area where these thefts are common or visit it due to any reason. You can choose wisely and go for some of these if you don’t want your car to end up like this car shown in the picture below.