what do you do if your car is broken into?

[CTA]

mine is... i am not sure what i am doing... its my first time experience...

this morning 5:30am , i noticed something strange with my window that bent... and i saw mitts... on my driver seat... i realized... its broken into...

- gps = 115cdn+tax(i forgot to get after i brought some foods to my apartment because of stupid best buy... long story)
- some snack bars, pop, and sport drinks... worth less 5 bucks
- some change coins ... probably total 5 bucks
- probably some tools - dont check whole... 10 bucks or less
- pens and blank papers - priceless


luckily s/he didn't check back... i have about 100 cdn parts stuff that i need to upgrade...


i had no time to report... i had to go to my brother's place to pick the truck to trip to bowen island...

i did go to my autoplan insurance after work is done... they can't help...

my brother had one experience... he said... 3000 worth is stolen and can't be recovered by police or someone...


so... what do you do?

 

[CMetaphor]

This just happened to me a week before my birthday in July. A few things I've learned from that experience:
- Never leave anything valuable in your car unless it's Literally Bolted Down. ( I mean that)
- No matter what security system you car may have or you may get for your car, someone that is intent on getting in and stealing something will either get around that security or not care and grab all your valuables really fast before running away.
- Unless the items that were stolen from your car cost a HECK of alot more than your insurance deductive plus the increase on the premiums you'll get from claiming - dont bother with it.
- Unless you have a visible fingerprint someone on your car that without a doubt isn't yours - dont bother with the cops (useless in these situations).

Sigh.... that just brought back some unpleasant memories (and i just narrowly avoiding an accident tonight because of badly repaired brakes). Hope the info helps.

 

[CTA]

i usually leave lots of stuff that is not expensive... i really should not forget about gps...

i only was pissed off that window is damage... i can repair... i still dont like to repair the window again...

i wonder how do you get fingerprint? i believe s/he wore mitts when attempt to bend the window... s/he closed the door without mitts... but where? my car is black and very dirty...


i am not sure if it was THAT old lady last night OR homeless... i see more homeless people in my area ;[ (my gate is no helping... but it might have cameras... i will ask manager tomorrow)


i wonder should i handle mitts to police? maybe they can use it...?

 

[misterlarry]

Had my diesel 3/4 ton Dodge stolen about 4 years ago now. I was on hold with the Calgary police to report it stolen, when the gal came back on the line to tell me they had already found it. Got it back the same day. They threw my records and files out in all four quadrants of the city. Stole my clean clothes and my new golf shoes (pmo). Left my Pings in the box of the truck, apparently too heavy to steal.

Worst thing was they left a number of used sharps in my truck and their many months old unwashed clothing. Insurance paid for over $4800 in repairs even though the thieves didn't leave a scratch on it (of course, being in the oil patch as long as I have been, I am covered for full replacement even if a Moose falls out of Earth orbit and totals my truck).

The evil misterlarry looked for his golf shoes for months in downtown Calgary when he was there on business, and still wishes a great deal of bodily harm on these and other thieves. But, that is the evil misterlarry. Not saying that I wouldn't mind catching up to them. I just would not make the painful death last as long (because the good misterlarry is not a sadist). Man Oh Man, I hate thieves.

Unfortunately it seems, you cannot live out a long and productive life in Canada, without some @*^hole trying to steal it from you. All you can do is try to protect your family and those that you care about.

the good misterlarry

 

[vulcan500rider]

This has happened to me about 3 times; I now just leave my car unlocked with NOTHING in it, and a club on the steering wheel. They still go through my stuff every month or so, but I don't have to keep looking for new windows...That said, I drive a 1985 Camry; you may not feel as comfortable leaving your car open.

A few things:
-Do report it to the police. They won't do anything, but it does affect the statistics, which may help increase how often police patrol your area.
-Unless it exceeds your insurance deductible by a fair margin, don't bother with your insurance company. You'll just have to suck up the loss, as any claim will put your premium up for a number of years.
-Don't leave ANYTHING in your car. For me, this also means that I store my tools in my trunk, and have disconnected the lever inside the car that opens it. I also continually put stuff that I buy in my trunk, rather than inside the car while shopping at numerous stores.

Sorry to hear, anyway; there's very little that pisses me off as much as someone going through my stuff like that.

 

[misterlarry]

Yeah, you can't even leave change in a cubby hole because a crack head will break the window if it gets them any closer to the next fix. Leave nothing of value in open sight. Learned that the hard way.

:biggrin:

 

[Jon_di2]

ask the cops where they receive the fewest reports of break ins and move there

 

[muse108dc]

My car was broken into, they even managed to get something lodged in the ignition, BCAA managed to get it out though THANK GOD. Nothing was stolen from it, it still was a pain (big hole in my door).

What you have to do is call the cops right away before touching it, once you get in they cant do much. But yes, report it and know nothings really going to happen.

 

[misterlarry]

There won't be any finger prints taken unless a death was caused by your vehicle, or your vehicle was the scene of a death.

If you come out of where you are to find that your vehicle has been broken into, at the very least do the following: (1) notify police, (2) notify your insurance company, (3) make sure they have not gained personal information such as credit cards receipts (if so cancel credit cards), (4) take as many pics as you can if you can without touching anything (your insurance company will want them most), (5) immediately start to write down everything that you know about the circumstances (time last seen, contents, odometer reading, etc.), and (6) get your insurance papers in order to meet with the insurance company claims adjuster. Finally, hope for the best.

Keep an eye out afterwords because thieves like to test people's and police responses to these types of acts, in order to do worse things later. Be vigilant and aware of your surroundings and neighborhood. Get involved.

Don't be a hero and for sure don't be a victim.

These are just some of the things that I have learned from personal experience. Hopefully this info will help other people.

:biggrin:

 

[FiXT]

Yup never leave anything in sight. I lost $2.XX change and a old metal shift knob worth less than the metal it was made of about 3 years back... The cost to replace the broken window - $140