If you’ve ever been misfortunate enough to have your vehicle stolen, then you know what a vulnerable moment that is. Vehicle theft leaves the victim feeling incredibly violated. There is, for one thing, the terrible financial loss. A vehicle is, for many, one of the most expensive things they ever own. Having someone steal a vehicle can be financially devastating. The financial blows don’t stop at the theft, though. You’re left scrambling to find other ways to get around if you can’t afford a new car immediately and can’t recover the stolen one. You might have saved for years for that vehicle and don’t have it in the budget to replace it. Remember also that even if your car insurance covers theft, most policies only pay you the market value of the vehicle the day it was stolen — which might be significantly less than what it was the day that you bought it.
With vehicle theft sadly on the rise recently, it makes perfect sense that Ford is offering two preventative and post-damage services to address the problem. The 2024 Ford F-150 gets the new Ford Stolen Vehicle Services, which drivers can choose to opt in on via the FordPass App. Additionally, Ford offers their TheftCARE coverage plans, which help provide financial assistance in the event of a theft. A combination of prevention and damage control can be your best bet at reducing the chances vehicle theft happens to you or is more costly than you can handle. Here’s a look at the Ford Stolen Vehicle Services and TheftCare.
First, Here’s Why People Are Stealing F-150s
Vehicle theft is on the rise overall. However, F-150s have been targeted at alarmingly high rates. There are a number of reasons for this. For starters, they have a high resale value, meaning thieves know that the potential payoff after the risk of theft is high. The second reason is that many thieves are shipping the trucks overseas, where they’re stripped and sold for their parts, which are reportedly valuable.
No matter the reason a truck is stolen, the damage to the owner is always substantial. With so many drivers relying on their F-150 for their work, losing one’s truck can mean not being able to make a living. That’s why it’s especially important for F-150 owners to invest in anti-theft protection products like the ones covered below.
Ford Stolen Vehicle Services
The moment you realize someone has or is trying to steal your vehicle is a panic-stricken one. Knowing who to call or what to do can be hard in the moment when your adrenaline is rushing. The Ford Stolen Vehicle Services is there to take the confusion out of that moment.
The first and foremost priority of the system is to prevent theft from happening in the first place. It does this in a number of ways, primarily through sensors. A GPS tracker, for example, will alert you if your vehicle is moved while the engine is off. This could indicate someone is attempting to tow your vehicle. Another sensor notifies you if someone tries to lift your truck — another sign someone might be trying to tow it away. You’ll also be notified if something bumps your vehicle or someone tries to tamper with it in any way.
When these events take place, you’ll receive an alert on your smartphone via the FordPass app. If you know it’s a false alarm, you can dismiss it. However, if you suspect foul play, one simple tap on the app notifies the authorities. It will report that the vehicle is stolen to the appropriate local police department based on your truck’s location. It will then guide you through steps to secure the vehicle or, if it’s been taken, recover it. The 24/7 Ford Stolen Vehicle Services Call center is always available for you to receive immediate advice on how to proceed. It’s like your personal concierge service in the worst of circumstances. It can provide immediate help and peace of mind that you don’t usually get when you call the police and are placed on hold while you’re routed to the correct department.
When you are in the FordPass app reporting a stolen vehicle, a box will show up where you can save the phone number to the correct police department and other pertinent information regarding your case so you have all of that in one place. Learning that someone is attempting to take your vehicle is scary. Ford Stolen Vehicle Services is there to give you clear steps on what action you can take.
TheftCARE
Ideally, your vehicle will never get stolen in the first place. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of care, and that sentiment couldn’t be truer when it comes to vehicle theft. That is why activating Ford Stolen Vehicle Services is the first step to protecting your vehicle.
As a backup (and a very important one), consider adding Ford’s stolen vehicle coverage plan, TheftCARE. With vehicle theft on the rise and F-150 trucks being of particular interest to thieves in many cities, making sure you have stolen vehicle coverage is simply the smart thing to do. TheftCARE plans include traceable identification codes on your vehicle that tie that model to the owner. So, should the thief attempt to sell the vehicle to a dealer, they can track that code, determine the vehicle is stolen, and report it.
You’ll also get an anti-theft warning label to scare thieves away. However, if a theft still occurs, your TheftCARE plan will cover up to $5,000 of expenses used towards replacing your vehicle or other expenses related to the theft. You can choose from different plans that range in time frame up to five years. Remember that most car insurance policies that do cover theft only repay you for the market value of your vehicle at the time of theft. If your vehicle’s value has depreciated substantially, you could potentially only receive $12,000 for a vehicle you paid $20,000 for. Getting extra coverage can help minimize the financial blow of replacing a stolen vehicle.
Prevention Systems Are a Small Cost to Pay to Protect Your Investment
Vehicles are major investments. After a house, they’re one of the most expensive purchases most people make in their lives. If you own a home, you likely buy all the protection you need — from prevention services to insurance — to protect it. Why not do the same for your pickup truck? With so many F-150 drivers using their vehicles to run their businesses, every day you don’t have a truck could be a day you aren’t receiving a paycheck. Renting one while you try to relocate the stolen one (or buy a new one) can be costly.
Nobody deserves to return to their parking spot to find it empty. It’s an event that can derail your life for weeks, if not months. It’s a vulnerable and awful moment. If you ask yourself what you’d pay to never experience that, it’s probably more than what the above-mentioned coverage costs. So, it’s kind of a no-brainer. The best damage control plan contains prevention measures and catastrophe measures. Combining Ford Stolen Vehicle Services with Ford TheftCARE gives you both, so you can park your truck, walk away from it, and not worry about it.
