What to do if your car is stolen

It’s a good idea to first eliminate other reasons that your car may not be where you left it. For example, if it was parked in an area with parking restrictions, could it have been towed? If it was in a public area, you can contact your local police station or transport management centre. But, if after that, you believe that your car has been stolen, it’s a good idea to report it as soon as possible.

What steps should you take if you suspect that your car is stolen?

Avoid touching or moving anything that the offender may have possibly touched at the scene (garage door handles, nearby windows etc).

Report it to the police. Some states have online reporting tools (like this one in Queensland). You can also call Policelink (known as the Police Assistance Line in some states) on 131 444. When making a report, you will typically be asked to provide answers to the following questions, which will assist police to begin investigations into your stolen car:

• Your details such as your full name, date of birth, address
• Where it occurred
• Victim details
• Details of the vehicle(s) involved
• Details of any property stolen or damaged

Check for possible CCTV, your own or your neighbours, to see if they captured anything the police may be able to use. Alternatively, if your car was parked in a public area (such as a council car park) you can try contacting your council to request this footage. You can upload videos and images to your police report online.

Contact your insurer to report the theft to your insurance company if your car was insured.

What happens if the police find your car?

A high percentage of cars reported stolen are located, however they are often damaged or even burnt out beyond repair.When a car that has been reported stolen is located, police will make contact with the owner to let them know. If the car hasn’t been used in any further offences, the owner will normally be given the option of picking up the car or having it towed to their desired location.

What happens if police do not find your car?

If the police can’t find or recover your car, then if it’s insured, your insurer will be able to settle the claim after a certain period. Once the claim is settled, the insurance company effectively becomes the ‘owner’ of the stolen car, so if the police find it following that period, they will surrender it to the relevant insurance company, which will then arrange to return it to you.

What should you do if you see your car that you suspect was stolen?

Police do not recommend searching for your stolen vehicle, but if you do happen to see your stolen car or a car you suspect is stolen, do not approach the vehicle or anyone within it. Instead, contact police and inform them of the location and description of the vehicle (such as its number plate, make, model and colour), as well as of any people within it. If you locate a car that looks like it’s been abandoned, contact police and do not touch the vehicle, so that any evidence can be preserved.

How can owners better protect themselves to reduce the chances of their car being stolen?

There are a couple of simple things we can do to make it more difficult for people to steal a car. This means protecting not only our cars, but our keys as well.

Consider these tips when it comes to securing your car and home:

• Store your car keys out of sight, even if you’re home or if the car is parked in a garage.
• Key lock your doors and windows even when home.
• Make sure your garage is locked.
• Consider installing a door lock on the internal door to your garage, especially if your door leads directly into your home.
• Consider installing a car alarm (but don’t keep the alarm on your car keys).
• Consider installing security screens to the Australian Standard, and motion sensor lights.

What is the process of reporting a stolen vehicle to my insurer?

Once you have reported the vehicle as stolen to the police, your next call should be to your insurer (if you have comprehensive or third party, fire and theft cover) to make a claim. You will likely be asked what items you had in the vehicle, if any, as these may also be covered depending on your policy. The insurer may ask you to provide a police report number, so it could be a good idea to make a note of this number once you have lodged your report.

Note that some policies may have a waiting period before action will be taken, enabling some time for police to search for your vehicle. It’s a good idea to have a look at your policy to see if extras, such as car rental, are included in cases of car theft.

If your vehicle is found, your insurer can determine whether it can be repaired or if it is considered a ‘write-off’. This means that the insurer will pay you the amount it is covered for (check the value in your policy) minus the excess (the amount you pay when making a claim).

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