In early February, a Canadian woman received a big surprise when she discovered a naked man who had been in her trunk for days. (This leads us to ask, is 2022 becoming the year of people in trunks?) To prevent such an unwanted occurrence in your own life, it’s important to keep some car safety tips in mind. 

The woman noticed something odd about her car

Global News filled us in on the bizarre story, which began when Bethany Coker, of Nanaimo, British Columbia, got into her car one day and noticed some mud on the front seat. Coker didn’t necessarily think a whole lot about it at first. She just figured that someone had broken in and possibly spent the night in the car. Not one to make a big deal of things, Coker didn’t immediately call the police. Instead, she simply did what she could to clean the seats. 

However, things got more frightening three days later, when she found her car’s windows fogged up and then heard a mysterious “Hey” coming from behind her. It turned out there was a man in the trunk. 

The car’s intruder got out of the trunk with help from police

Not only was there a man in Bethany Coker’s trunk, but he had been there for three days. She was alarmed to think that the man had been riding all over town with her for the past several days, to work, on errands, and more. Coker at first thought the incident was some sort of prank, but because she was concerned for her safety (and probably didn’t want to end up trapped in the trunk herself), she pulled out her cell phone to start recording. Coker posted her recorded interactions with the intruder on social media. In one conversation with the mysterious man, she asks him if he’s naked, and he replies, “Yes, it’s a rite of passage.” 

Unsurprisingly, Coker called the police when she discovered the intruder in her trunk. They were incredulous at first. “What do you mean he’s been in your trunk for three days?” they asked. Coker responded, “He’s been in my trunk for three days, please hurry up.” The police later arrived and confirmed that the man had “significant health issues,” after which they worked to get him help. 

Car safety tips to prevent theft and unwanted entry

No one wants to get into their car one day and discover what Bethany Coker discovered in her trunk. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to reduce the chances of that happening.

To prevent such occurrences, it’s always a good idea to follow a few simple tips, many of which are also relevant to preventing car thefts in general. First and foremost, you really can’t go wrong with keeping your car doors locked at all times. It seems simple, but most car thefts can be traced back to the owners leaving their doors unlocked. Take a second to lock your doors before you walk away. We promise you won’t regret it.

Furthermore, the purchase of visible theft prevention devices can also prevent someone from bothering to try breaking into a car. A car alarm is a prime example. While the sound of a car alarm doesn’t always bring people running to the scene, just the sight of a red flashing light indicative of a car alarm can cause a potential intruder to move on. After all, why deal with the hassle of a blaring car alarm if you can break into a car that doesn’t have one?

Taking just a few simple preventative measures can make a world of difference in making sure that you don’t find yourself in the unfortunate position that Coker did that day.