If you are someone who enjoys going on outdoor adventures, then there is a high chance you have a roof rack. Most outdoor adventurists swear by their roof racks. They are a fundamental piece of equipment for ensuring their outdoor adventure runs smoothly.
So you can imagine how frustrating it is when your roof rack is stolen. Not only are thieves able to get their hands on what you kept on your roof rack, but they have taken the actual roof rack itself. This is enough to completely ruin someone’s outdoor adventure.
Unfortunately, we can’t do much to stop someone from trying to steal something. However, there are ways to deter them from trying to steal from you and prevent them from being able to steal something if they try.
If you want to keep your roof rack and make it more secure, then you’ve come to the right place. We are going to look at some ways you can keep your roof rack from being stolen.
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What Is A Roof Rack?
A roof rack is an item that attaches directly to the top of your vehicle. It is used to carry large items such as kayaks or bikes. The roof rack has two main purposes: to hold things securely in place and to provide additional storage space.
The first thing you need to know about roof racking is that it will be attached to your car via a number of different methods. There are many types of roof racks available. Some attach using bolts while others use straps.
You may also find roof racks that have both bolt-on and strap attachments. Whatever type of attachment you choose, you should always ensure that it is strong enough to withstand the weight of whatever you plan to put on top of it.
The second thing you need to know is that most roof racks have a variety of hooks or other means of attaching themselves to your vehicle.
These hooks are usually located on the underside of the roof rack. When you buy a new roof rack, you’ll probably already have these hooks installed. If not, you can easily install them yourself.
You might think that with all of these hooks, bolts, and straps your roof rack would be secure on your car. You might think that this would be enough to stop thieves in their tracks.
However, thieves are coming up with more and more ways of being able to effectively steal from cars. So whilst roof racks are secure to your car, they are not necessarily secure from thieves.
Ways To Stop Thieves From Stealing Your Roof Rack
So now you know what roof racks are and why they are susceptible to being a target by thieves, here are some things you can do in order to protect your roof rack.
Buy A Roof Rack That Comes With Locks Built-In
If you’ve recently had your roof rack stolen or are about to buy a roof rack, then consider getting one that has security built into it. Buying a roof rack that already has locks built-in means you don’t have to buy locks and you can avoid having the locks you do buy being cut.
Roof racks with built-in locks are a sure way of deterring thieves from trying to steal your roof rack as it would be a higher risk for them to try and steal it.
The great thing about these types of roof racks is that if the thieves do end up breaking the lock, then they have a faulty piece of equipment they wouldn’t be able to sell.
Buy A Roof Rack Lock
Of course, if you already have a roof rack, possibly a waterproof roof box perfect for adventuring, it probably isn’t in your best interest to buy another one just because it has built-in locks.
So if you already own a roof rack, you should buy and install a roof rack lock. This could be anything from a simple padlock to something much stronger.
A good roof rack lock is going to be very sturdy. They won’t break easily so even if someone does manage to get through your roof rack lock, they’re still going to have to work hard at it.
Install A Security Camera On Your Car
Another option is installing a security camera on your car. Installing a security camera on your vehicle is an effective deterrent against theft. It’s important to note that you shouldn’t rely solely on a security camera to prevent your roof rack from being stolen.
As mentioned above, there are plenty of ways people can steal a roof rack without leaving any sort of trace behind. But a security camera is a good additional tool to help deter thieves.
Install A Tracking Device
Whilst tracking devices won’t stop your roof rack from being stolen, they are a good way of being able to find it if it does get stolen.
The best way to install a tracking device is somewhere on the roof rack where thieves will not be able to notice it. This way they don’t remove the tracking device.
Get An Alarm Lock
Yes, alarm locks are a real thing. They are a great device that can help when someone is trying to steal something from you.
Alarm locks notify you when they are being fiddled with or someone is trying to break them. They let out a sound that not only alerts you but gains the attention of those within the vicinity.
These are a great way for deterring a thief as they won’t have enough time to try and steal the roof rack without being caught.
Remove The Roof Rack When Not In Use
If you are not planning on using your roof rack for a while because you haven’t got any outdoor adventures planned for a while, then to keep your roof rack safe you should remove it. Plus it also helps save fuel mileage driving without roof box attached to your car.
We understand that this might seem like a struggle since you then have to reinstall it again later but if you own an expensive roof rack, this is the best way to keep it from being stolen.
Make Your Roof Rack Undesirable
If you’ve ever seen a dog that has been dyed a bright color, you might be thinking why would the owner do that. Well, it is to help keep thieves away, since a bright-colored dog isn’t desirable to consumers.
So this might be a good method to deter thieves from taking your roof rack. If you paint your roof rack a color that is bright and loud, or even mark the roof rack, it makes it harder for thieves to sell. This means they are more likely to be deterred from stealing your roof rack.
Secure The Roof Rack And Bars
Another way you can stop roof rack theft is by securing the roof rack bars to the roof rack base. You can do this by using a cable lock. Cable locks will make it harder for the would-be thieves to detach the roof rack from your car.
Final Thoughts
There is no guaranteed way to prevent a thief from stealing your roof rack as it completely depends upon how hard the thief is willing to work. However, there are definitely ways to deter thieves and make it hard for them to steal your roof rack.
Following these tips will increase the chances of keeping your roof rack safe from being stolen by potential thieves and give you some extra security. Some of these tips might not seem ideal, but it is better to have a roof rack that inconveniences you than have no roof rack at all.
We hope we were able to ease your mind and help you find a way to keep your roof rack from being stolen. Hopefully, some of these methods are useful for you and you find that your roof rack doesn’t get stolen.
Please share this guide with others who may benefit from being able to know how to keep their roof rack from being stolen. Thank you for reading!
