McTheft-proofing Your Ride

I remember when I bought my first Toyota Camry, thinking, at last I finally had a reliable car based on consumer and automotive industry reports. And for the most part, these cars have exceeded our expectations and (provided I don't schmuck another deer) should give us at least a quarter million miles of service.

However, my friends were quick to point out that like the Honda, another rice-burner (thanks, Bobby) the Camry was on the list of cars that thieves like to steal and part them out in chop shops. I should point out that upscale models like the Lexus and Acura also make the list but thieves seem to prefer ours.

But have no fear. There's a simple deterrent that repels most car thieves and that's the McTheft-proofed cars. You've seen them parked next to your car in the clinic and grocery store parking lots: back seats littered with half-eaten french fries and gazillions of Happy Meal toys. Joining the disarray are mismatched mittens, story books, baseball cards and straws and candy wrappers. These cars belong to folks who avoid full-service car wash places like Jet Stream, preferring the do-it-yourself places where for 50 cents you can shop vac the backseat to your heart's content and no one will think you're a car slob.

Thieves probably aren't too interested in seats or carpets stained with Ronald McDonald's orange drink or ketchup blobs glued to the CD console. If it belongs to a parent, there's probably wet naps in the glove compartment instead of a stash of emergency cash, they reason, moving on to an impeccably clean model with Enya and Coldplay CDs on the seat instead of Kidz Bop.

Now that I only have one child in tow, the backseat of my ride has improved significantly except for the stops at the drive thru. But as messy as my car may get some days, I am miles ahead of my husband who practically lives in his car seven days a week. As a professional cattle breeder, thieves would do well to avoid this vehicle if at all possible!