(Newswire.net — May 22, 2018) — Most people never think their vehicle will get stolen. However, thousands of people are victimized by auto theft on an annual basis.
If your car were to go missing, would you know what to do?
5 Things to Do If Your Car is Stolen
“About $5.9 billion was lost to motor vehicle theft in 2016, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report. The average dollar loss per theft was $7,680. Motor vehicles were stolen at a rate of 236.9 per 100,000 people in 2016, up 6.6 percent from 2015,” the Insurance Information Institute points out.
Despite these numbers, auto theft has been on a downward trend over the past couple of decades. While this is good news, criminals are constantly coming up with new methods that keep car owners on their toes. (For example, one of the latest trends is the use of smart keys to start cars without the need for hot-wiring.)
Knowing what puts you at risk for having your car stolen is a good idea, but it doesn’t matter much if you learn about it after the fact. At this point, the most important thing is that you know how to respond.
The following tips should provide you with some guidance on how to proceed:
1. Notify the Police
Once you’re positive that your car has been stolen – and not just taken by your spouse to run an errand – notify the local police. The good news is that 85 percent of stolen vehicles are eventually recovered. The sooner you call, the more likely that your vehicle will be on the positive end of this statistic.
2. Document the Scene
It’s also important that you document the scene as quickly as possible. Take pictures of anything you might deem as evidence. Look around to see if there are security cameras or witnesses. Search for anything that seems out of place. The more you document now, the less you’ll have to remember later on.
3. Make a Mental List of What Was Stolen
What else was stolen, in addition to the vehicle? Before you forget, go ahead and make a list of the items you think were in the car. This may include: wallet, keys, checkbook, phone, laptop, work-related documents, mail, suitcases, etc.
4. Secure Your House
While the car is obviously what you’re most worried about, you need to think about anything else that could be connected to the theft of the vehicle.
“Sometimes, it isn’t just about the car. If by any chance your house keys were in your car when it was stolen, you may also need to change your locks, as thieves may be able to locate your house and could break in,” AXA Insurance advises. “This should be done immediately, because apart from the safety and property considerations, you may not be insured by your insurer for a home break-in as a result of having house keys stolen from your car.”
5. Take Steps to Prevent Similar Incidents
While it’s unfortunate to find yourself in this situation, you need to do everything you can to avoid finding yourself in a similar situation in the future. By learning from the mistakes you made – or even something that a criminal did to expose you – you can hopefully prevent another instance like this from occurring.
Make sure you discuss the details of your situation with friends and family members, so they can also be made aware of their own mistakes and shortcomings.
Don’t Work Yourself Up
Having your car stolen is devastating. Not only is it stressful from a financial perspective, but it also feels like a direct attack on you (as an individual). When someone comes into your personal space and violates your sense of safety and comfort, it’s only natural to feel distressed.
Having said this, you should try your best not to get more worked up than you already are. Assuming you’ve followed all of the steps outlined in this article, law enforcement is working on your case and your insurance provider is prepared to step in when needed. Control what you can control and forget about what you can’t. A resolution shouldn’t be too far away.