This article has been viewed 61,102 times.Learn more. What to Do if Your Car Is Stolen - Policygenius Thirdly, they will need to ensure that the owner has not reported the car missing yet. It Is not often that a stolen vehicle is returned to its owner. Check with family members who might have borrowed it without permission. Here Is How The Police Investigate A Stolen Car, Cars Are Usually Stripped For Parts In Days. During the report entry, your VIN and license plate are entered into a stolen vehicle database nationwide. A GPS Device for tracking can lead you, and law enforcement, directly to your stolen automobile. One of the most common ways of stealing a car is to break into a parked zone, hotwire the vehicle and tow it away. - Explained, Reasons Why Police Officers Touch Your Car When They Stop, Here's How To Get Car Accident Police Report Online, Was My Car Repossessed Or Stolen? In many cases, relying on license plate readers is not enough. Law enforcement recommends parking beneath a light and in a heavily frequented location. 1 in 5 stolen cars goes back to the owner. The Digitpol database is a database of luxury vehicles that have gone missing. Insurance.com managing editor, Ashlee Tilford learned that embarrassing lesson when on her first day of college she finished the day only to find her car had vanished. Different ways are available that a vehicle can steal, but typically a thief will break into a car and hotwire it. A car immobilizer system can prevent this. This is rare, however, as most stolen cars are eventually returned to their owners. This means you may have to do some of the legwork yourself if you expect to find your car. The odds of getting a stolen car back is 46%, but this figure varies by state. The Azusa City Council recently approved funding for three more tracking units, which cost $1,800 each. See a car in front of you that is on your hotsheet of stolen cars and plate numbers. Despite all the aforementioned headaches and paperwork, police could not likely allocate the resources needed to recover it, and would probably struggle to find leads if they could. Broadcast a detailed suspect description and update if more information becomes available. It just doesnt happen. Comments ( 208) A 22-year-old stole a car, got stopped, stole a police car from the officers trying to get him, then led half the cops in Bergen . Certain apps and services can track and send notifications if a vehicle is stolen. - Things, How To Tell If A Vehicle Has Active Fuel Management, Description of the vehicle; include decals and stickers, descriptions of scratches or dents, and items inside the vehicle. Many police who investigate stolen cars say that it is unlikely to be found if a vehicle is missing for a week. The penalties for this crime can range from a fine to imprisonment. Police in Eastchester are searching for the man who stole a car that had a child inside on Thursday morning. The police department will contact you using the number or contact address you provided when you reported your stolen car. Leave no personal items in the vehicle. Dont Miss: How To Get A Fake Police Report. Dont have identifying information on your keychain. So, does this mean youre out of luck if someone steals your car and the GPS isnt on? How Police Investigate Stolen Car if They Want to - Sane Driver If someone tries to register the car under their name or apply for a new title, the DMV can notify the police. Again, an investigating police officer sees every car as stolen. In Chicago, for instance, stolen cars may be commonly parked along streets without being noticed. If someone is caught driving a stolen car, they can be charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. Recommended Reading: How To Search Police Records. In this age of rapidly expanding technology, it is common for businesses of all kinds to have security cameras installed outside of their business. Check all the places where you usually park. State laws allow you to claim abandoned cars, Steps to recover your stolen license plate. However, look at the minimum car insurance requirements before investing in it. My car was just gone. If handled correctly, GPS trackers offer an effective means for police departments to manage their forces, gather evidence, and apprehend criminals. If it is determined that the car was in fact stolen, then the insurance company will pay out on the claim. If detectives or investigators are busy, it could take even longer. And, a lot of people install dash cams in their own cars. One way to do this would be to put your car for sale on an online classified site or in a newspaper. They use undercover officers with special devices to track signals. They may pull over the driver for questioning since the police officer believes the car is stolen until proven otherwise. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Andrew P. Collins. Cars with crooked license plates, temporary tags (especially out-of-state tags) and busted out windows covered with bags are signs that a car may be stolen. If they forget the keys inside the car, a spare key comes in handy. Perhaps before the report is assigned. Hack into the cars computer and track its GPS signal. This is yet another thing you need to know when dealing with vehicle thefts. In addition, the car can be seized by the police and may be sold at auction. Better yet, unlike the previous iteration of car tracking devices, such as LoJack, the police wont need to devote extra resources to triangulate the stolen cars signal. There are many different ways that Police investigate a stolen car. So before notifying the police, make sure the vehicle is really missing. It Is not often that a stolen vehicle is returned to its owner. You Can Find Best Car Services Here The primary department will conduct how police investigate a stolen car. How the police investigate the stolen car is not by hitting the pavement and searching their parking lots and old junkyards. CarSuperCare.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Keep yourself and your belongings safe by being proactive about car security. The DMV will want to know about your stolen vehicle so they can update their records accordingly. Below is a list of a charges against each defendant: Many people report stolen cars when the car is still in their possession, but they cant find it. Let our team of GPS tracking experts guide you to the best GPS tracker for car, truck or personal safety application! It is important to weigh the need to pursue a stolen vehicle against the safety of the officer and the motoring public. Doing so will help you avoid legal issues, and ensure a smooth claims process with your insurance policy. Property Crime Investigation Checklist. Filing a report with the department of motor vehicles is a separate step from filing a police report. If you cant locate the car, then its time to notify law enforcement officials. Typically when an officer sees a stolen vehicle they will verify the vehicle is in fact stolen before any action is taken. If someone is caught driving a stolen car, they can be charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. If you do not have a GPS tracker in your vehicle, you should purchase a GPS tracking service for your vehicle. This will help create a paper trail and give the authorities a better chance of finding your vehicle. The Police will look for fingerprints at the crime scene, the suspect will trace through their license plate number, and there may be surveillance footage of the suspect in both public and private areas. Why do people steal cars and run from the cops? A car can be stripped entirely of parts within a few days. When Does The Police Use The Digitpol Database? OnStar can remotely slow down the car and prevent thieves from restarting it. It is revolutionary. When the car does steal, the Police search their database to see it. If a stolen car is found, it is usually because that car was at the site of a bigger and more dangerous crime scene. We have all felt that sense of panic and worry even over something so small as a stolen or misplaced mobile phone. Your homeowners or renters insurance should cover the theft of valuables from your automobile. What Do Police Do When They Find A Stolen Car - Quick Answer Thieves may be discouraged if they are aware that they are clearly visible. Once you have a police report number, contact your insurance company. Here are some tips that can help: By following these tips, you can help prevent your car from being stolen. If you lose your keys,a thief can find your address and then steal your car without having to do any damage. Hopefully, youll never need this information. The wealthy report their missing boats, cars, speedboats, motorcycles, race cars, etc., to their local police. The police will also attempt to track down the owner of the car. In conclusion, Police use their resources to investigate a stolen car, talk to the victim, and record relevant information. It has two parts, one for individual cars, which will be available through auto dealerships, and one for police cars, provided by LoJack. Once they have any possible witnesses, the police will then try to track down the car using the GPS system. They will also look for any surveillance footage that may have captured the act. This is a well-safe place for you to be while shopping. However, it is important to note that the insurance company will not payout on a claim until the investigation is complete. If a license plate query returns a stolen report, the suspected is arrested. Lock all doors, windows, and the trunk. Also, many cars are stripped of their parts. Forensic Investigation of Stolen-Recovered and Other Crime-Related Courses are carried out on a regional basis, enabling countries to build working relationships and work together more effectively on cross-border cases. But the 21st century offers a more appealing alternative, provided you have installed a GPS tracker in your car. According to Progressive Insurances report, the US average rate for car theft recovery is 46%, but the rate varies greatly among states. Other people have it for personal reasons. Dont wait until its too late to take precautions! 7 Michigan police officers charged in fraudulent auto - mlive If it was, its time to notify the Police to see if they can help. In the San Gabriel Valley, it has jumped 96% since 1984, according to FBI crime statistics.