It can be terribly annoying to find your car broken into. The windshield or one of the windows is shattered and lots of valuables are missing from your car. So much damage, and there’s nothing you can do to go back in time and stop the thief who did this. But you have to do something to try to catch the thief and get your car back in its original shape. With the following car protection strategy tips, you’ll be able to deal with this irritating incident.
Call the Police Just like with any other accident, you should call the police right away. Don’t wait, because the more you don’t take action, the more the thief gets away with the crime, taking your belongings with him. Have a cop examine your car and take a list of all the stolen valuables. This will help the cop make a statement that will later come in handy for tracking down the thief.
Take Pictures of the Damage The next step in your car protection strategy is to take pictures of the damage. Photos of the broken windshield or window will be useful for your insurance later. You should also take pictures of anything else that the thief broke or tampered with, such as the rear-view mirror, glove compartment, or the car’s paint.
See What Your Insurance Will Cover of the Damage In such an instance, it’s always important to call your car insurance and find out what your policy covers. For example, your insurance might cover your auto glass and car damages but not reimburse you for the stolen items. It all depends from policy to policy, and so it’s essential that you check.
Remove or Hide Valuables from Your Car Once the cop examined your car, you should remove or hide all your valuables. If you have any visible items, such as a GPS, a cell phone, a wallet, an E-ZPass (SunPass), and/or even some change, remove them right away. If you must keep them in the vehicle, store them in the glove compartment where they’re out of sight. After all, the best car protection is taking precautionary measures.
Park in Plain Sight Another important precaution to take is to always park in plain sight. After all, if you are parking day after day and night after night in a deserted area, then thieves are going to target your car since there are no witnesses around to stop them or call the police. Don’t give thieves a reason to be tempted. If you want car protection, then the best way to have it is through ensuring that your car is somewhere people are constantly driving through. Thus, the most ideal location to park your vehicle overnight is right in your private garage or in front of your house or building. That way, if anything happens, you or your neighbors will easily notice.
Tint the Windshield and Windows If the thief can’t see what’s inside your car, then chances are that he or she won’t try to break into it. That’s why, if possible, tint your car the legal amount that your state permits you. Even if the windows and windshield have a slight tint, at night, they will prevent anyone from seeing into your car.
Put Window Stickers That Say You Have a Car Alarm Even if you can’t afford an actual car alarm, you can trick thieves into thinking that you do by putting stickers on your windows that say you have a car alarm. You can place one sticker on the driver’s left side window and another sticker on the passenger’s right side window. These stickers are wonderful car protection tools because they scare off the most daring thief.
With these precautionary steps, you’ll catch the thief and prevent another one from damaging your personal property.