When it comes to automotive security, vehicle owners often think that the contents of their vehicles are safe as long as they are out of sight. However, the “out of sight, out of mind” rule no longer applies. Increased security measures are necessary to protect your valuables when they are being stored in your vehicle, even for a short period of time. Hence, the creation of and improvement of in-vehicle safes, which are used to store and protect any items that may remain in the vehicle.
For Console Vault®, LLC’s President Scott Bonvissuto, automotive security is a personal passion. “I am always about helping people, and with our product, we provide a peace of mind,” he says, “Life is stressful enough; why make it more stressful by having to worry about your valuables.” These days, most vehicles don’t have a built-in locking compartment, so those looking for an extra layer of security for their valuables need to look into third-party products.
Most vehicle owners think that their driveway is a safe place. Still, even if you take steps to ensure the safety of your vehicle, such as keeping your driveway well-lit and installing security cameras, smash-and-grabs are still a common occurrence. When these preventative measures aren’t enough, vehicle owners must then turn to measures that protect their vehicles’ contents after they are broken into. So if you have anything that you keep in your car and don’t want to end up in someone else’s possession, it would be wise to invest in a car safe.
But the utility of a -vehicle safe isn’t just limited to valuable items — it is also necessary to have one if you are a firearm owner with a concealed carry permit. In situations where you are not allowed to carry your firearm, having avehicle safe is a much more secure situation than putting it in your glove box. It is important not to leave guns unsecured in your vehicle because those firearms could end up in the wrong hands in the case of smash and grabs.
The vehicle security industry is quickly pivoting to vehicle safes that are more discreet, giving vehicle owners an added layer of protection. Whereas safes used to be bulky — and highly visible — installations in your trunk, new safes like The Original In-Vehicle SafeⓇ by Console Vaultare designed to be obscured from vision, installed in locations such as the center console. And whereas a visible safe in the vehicle implies that you have something of value to be stolen, a discreet one does not clue potential thieves that your vehicle has something they could be after.
But the other thing about In-Vehicle Safes that makes them an optimal solution to prevent theft of valuables is that they are so easy to install. For example, Console Vault’s In-Vehicle Safes either uses the existing hardware of a vehicle’s center console or come with simple hardware kits for installation. Because of this, a consumer doesn’t need a complex set of tools to implement this solution, and it is virtually indistinguishable from the vehicle’s natural hardware to those with malicious intent.
It would be nice to see the prevalence of smash-and-grabs decrease, but there are solutions to help vehicle owners prevent significant loss until then. You should take steps to protect the valuable items you are storing in your vehicle, like using an In-Vehicle Safe — preferably one that is highly discreet — so that you aren’t as obvious of a target for potential thieves.
