The Cadillac Escalade regularly tops the list of most stolen vehicles in America. Even more ridiculous is the fact that thieves prefer older non-luxury vehicles due to their lack of security features, as well as modified vehicles, as their expensive aftermarket parts as be sold in pieces. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) offers a “layered” list of tips to protect your car from thieves. The more layers you follow, the better protected your car is. Also, the layers get more expensive to implement the deeper you go.

Layer 1: Common Sense
These are basic tips that most should be following, but car thieves take advantage of people’s carelessness and laziness. Even if parking for a brief period, remove your keys from the ignition, lock your doors, close your windows, and park in a well-lit area whenever possible.

Layer 2: Alarm or Warning Device
Visible or audible devices and markers alert thieves that your vehicle is protected. Even if they don’t always prevent theft, their presence often deters it. So look into audible car alarms, brake pedal locks, identification markers on the vehicle, micro-dot marking, steering column collars, steering-wheel locks, theft-deterrent decals, tire locks and deflators, wheel locks and window etching.

Layer 3: Immobilizing Devices
These devices prevent thieves from bypassing your ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some electronic devices work with computer chips in the ignition key. Other devices inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch or button is activated. Popular third-layer devices include fuse cut-offs, kill switches, smart keys, starter, ignition and fuel disablers, and wireless ignition authentication systems.

Layer 4: Tracking Devices
The strongest layer of protection is a tracking device that can emit a location signal to a monitoring station or police after the vehicle is reported stolen. Vehicles recovered this way are often found more quickly and with less damage. Some systems combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote vehicle monitoring: If the vehicle is moved, the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer. Indeed, the best way to find your car in case of theft is LoJack. It has an industry-leading recovery rate of 90 percent.