What to Do if Your Vehicle Was Broken Into

Nov 19, 2020

Thief breaking the glass of a car

Steps You Should Take When Someone Breaks into Your Car

Getting your car burglarized or vandalized is never fun.rnUnfortunately, it is something that happens to drivers every day, especially inrnlarge cities. If your car was broken into, the first thing you should do is makernsure you are safe and stay calm. Once you’ve taken a moment to breathe, followrnthese steps you should take after someone breaks into your car.

[ READ MORE: Whatrnto Do if Your Car is Stolen ]

List of Things to Do After Your Car is Burglarized

Take pictures and make a list of missingrnitems. It’s very important to take pictures of all the damage caused by thernbreak-in the way you found it. After you get all the pictures you need, make arnlist of missing items. You’ll likely feel flustered with emotions while doingrnthis, so make sure you write or type everything down so you don’t forget later.
Contact the police. This may seem like arnno-brainer, but you should always contact the police after a car break-in. Callrnthe non-emergency number to request an officer to your location. When theyrnarrive, file a police report with them and ask for a copy.
If necessary, contact your financial institutions.rnCredit cards, phones, and paperwork with personal information are veryrnvaluable to thieves. If you lost your phone, contact your phone company, lockrnor erase the contents on your phone remotely, and change any passwords thatrncould be saved on your phone. If you are missing credit cards or personalrninformation, contact your banks and credit card companies to freeze and put arnfraud alert on your accounts.
Consider contacting your insurance company.rnDetermine the losses you just incurred. If your deductible is higher than yourrnlosses, it isn’t logical to contact your insurance company as you won’t get anyrnmoney. In addition, filing a claim may increase your insurance rates. If you decidernto contact them, any comprehensive insurance linked to your vehicle can cover thernvandalism. Your renters or homeowners insurance can help cover missing itemsrnlike laptops and phones. Remember the police report from earlier? Mostrninsurance companies will want proof of the break-in and will ask for this copy.
Move your vehicle somewhere safe and get itrnfixed. Park your car in a secure location like a garage until you get itrnfixed. Burglarized cars left on the street are bigger targets for auto theft.

Did you find this post helpful while handling your stressful situation? If so, follow the OkCarz blog for more tips and tricks like this.

Robber with a flashlight looking into a car