The idea behind it is that the criminal will not have to break the windows which is more costly to replace than what was in the center console. Sort of violate

The idea behind it is that the criminal will not have to break the windows which is more costly to replace than what was in the center console. Sort of violates the idea of a "smash and grab" though. You want to minimize the noise generated and time spent and maximize the potential profit gained. Typically, you just inspect what is in plain view of the vehicle and if there's anything that has value (ie, backpack, clothes, cell phones) then it's a good target. If there's nothing in plain view, then there's no point in attracting attention and increasing the chances of getting caught. Of course, there are some municipalities that have decriminalized or refuse to prosecute this type of theft so that negative reinforcement no longer applies and you just get people that smash all windows and search entire vehicles. Anecdotally, just following the idea of "nothing in value being in plain view" has worked wonderfully for me. Works locally in my somewhat big city and when traveling to other big cities.