Monday, March 25, 2024

How Do Police Find Stolen Cars

Don't Miss

Can You Refuse To Take Back Your Stolen Car

Man uses technology to locate stolen car

Whether you can refuse to take back a stolen car depends on the situation.

  • A totaled car. If the stolen car is salvaged, you refuse it depending on your insurance policy. Of course, the insurer will not force a salvaged car on you. But if the car has minor damages, the adjuster informs the insurance, and they may refuse to give you a new car.
  • You were paid insurance claims. If the insurance paid off your claims, it is no longer your property. Suppose the police informed you about the recovered stolen vehicle racking up storage fees in your name. You simply notify the insurance. It is possible that the insurance did not transfer the owner into their name and may have written it off their books.
  • The police and tow operator. The police will have the tow operator take possession of your stolen car that is then found. If you do not turn up to claim the vehicle, you are liable for the storage fees. In some states, after the tow company sells the car and the sales amount does not cover the storage debt, you are liable for completing the debt.

Make Sure Youre Actually Reporting A Stolen Car

Does auto insurance cover car theft?

Comprehensive insurance generally covers losses after auto theft.

Many people report stolen cars when the car is still in their possession, but they can’t find it. Thats a waste of time and resources on the part of the police. Plus, filing a false police report is a crime in many jurisdictions with severe consequences, including fines and jail time.

Here are some ways to make sure your car is really missing before calling the police department:

  • Ask yourself if the car was moved by mistake ?
  • Think about where you parked. Was the vehicle in a parking lot, and you forgot where?
  • Consider if the car could have been towed.
  • Check with family members who might have borrowed it without permission.

If you dont know where your car is, you can treat it as if it were truly stolen. In that case, dont wait to contact the local police or your insurance company.

See More:Best Car Insurance Companies

Police Gps Data Loggers

Because of budgetary constraints and cut-backs facing many police departments, many governments, and police agencies have turned to cost-effective no monthly fee tracking devices known as GPS data loggers. The great thing about GPS data loggers is that they provide police and law enforcement with second-by-second tracking, but do so with no subscription fees. However, since passive tracking systems do not use cellular communication in transmitting data they must be removed from the vehicle and downloaded in order for a police agency to capture and view the recorded data. The best way to think of a passive tracking solution is that it is a recorder of vehicle travel history.

Also Check: How To File A Police Complaint Online

What To Do If Your Car Is Stolen

While getting your car stolen can be overwhelming, there are immediate steps youll need to take to ensure that you dont face any repercussions. If you dont take these steps within a reasonable timeideally immediatelyyoull not only not have a car, but you could be accused of crimes that were committed with your vehicle even if it was stolen.

The longer you wait to report the car stolen to the police and your insurer, the lower your chances are to recover the car.

Below, we outline the steps you should follow if your vehicle has been stolen.

What Process Does The Police Follow When Investigating A Stolen Car

2 arrested after police find drugs in stolen car

When a car is reported stolen to the police, they will begin their investigation by gathering information about the vehicle. This includes taking photographs of the car, recording the Vehicle Identification Number , and checking for any outstanding warrants or tickets that may be associated with the car.

The police will also attempt to track down the owner of the car. They can do this by looking for registration records or contacting the manufacturer of the car in order to find out who purchased it. If they are unsuccessful in locating the owner, they will release a bulletin listing all of the details about the stolen car to other law enforcement agencies.

If someone is caught driving a stolen car, they can be charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. The penalties for this crime can range from a fine to imprisonment. In addition, the car can be seized by the police and may be sold at auction.

The police will continue to investigate a stolen car until they find either the owner or the thief.

Don’t Miss: Can I File A Restraining Order At The Police Station

Use Gps Device To Locate Your Stolen Car

If youve installed a GPS tracking system, like OnStar, LoJack, etc. to your vehicle, the company of the tracker can help you determine the location of your stolen car, and even shut it down.

No matter where your car got stolen, such as the dealership, driveway, garage, valet parking, or a mechanic shop, you can trace your stolen vehicle with the GPS quickly.

Check For Unusual Devices

The first thing you should do is check for any unusual devices or wires in your car. This could be a difficult task but can be done. You should check the underneath of your car, the area around the engine compartment, and inside dashboards.

If you find any foreign objects that seem suspicious then you should try to track down what it is. One way to do this would be to put your car for sale on an online classified site or in a newspaper. If there is a tracking device on your car, the person who installed it will likely contact you to try and recover the device.

Recommended Reading: Can You Find A Police Report Online

You May Like: How To Train For Police Academy

Gps Device For Tracking

Finding a stolen car used to be all but a lost cause. 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. A car owner would have to file a stolen car report, then wait. And wait. And hope their car insurance acted fast, and hope their policy carried a low deductible.

But the 21st century offers a more appealing alternative, provided you have installed a GPS tracker in your car. A GPS Device for tracking can lead you, and law enforcement, directly to your stolen automobile. It wont get you out of filing a police report, but it will greatly increase the odds youll get your vehicle back, fully intact, and ready to ride again.

Recommended Reading: How To Search Police Records

How Long Does It Take For The Insurance Company To Pay Out On Your Stolen Car

Police find stolen, chopped up vehicles in NE Portland

If youve had the comprehensive insurance for your car, you should file a car stolen insurance claim at once. The insurance company will investigate the case before paying out for your loss.

Car insurance companies typically have a waiting period of 30 days, before they will pay a stolen car claim, as it gives time to see if the car would be recovered.

If your car is recovered but comes back damaged, the car insurance company will determine whether the car can be repaired or is a total loss. If your vehicle is considered as a total loss, youll get the actual cash value of your car from the company.

If your stolen car reappears after your insurance settlement, your insurance company will retain the ownership of the vehicle. The vehicle would be sold for salvage or at an auction.

You can buy your stolen car back if the laws and the insurance companys guidelines allow.

Also Check: How To File A Police Report Online Chicago

Training Police In International Vehicle Theft

Project Formatrain is our standard training programme for investigators of international cases of vehicle theft. Courses include vehicle and document identification investigative strategies, techniques and tools the use of INTERPOL’s databases and global network and legal considerations.

The course combines classroom training with an operation or practical exercise, allowing participants to consolidate their new skills by applying them in the field.

Courses are carried out on a regional basis, enabling countries to build working relationships and work together more effectively on cross-border cases. The courses are adapted to the criminal trends threatening that region.

More specialized courses look at digital forensics and plant and construction machinery, which have proven to be very beneficial to member countries.

What Are The Percentage Of Stolen Cars Are Covered

According to Progressive Insurances report, the US average rate for car theft recovery is 46%, but the rate varies greatly among states. For example, the stolen car recovery rate in Washington was 71%, in Utah was 63%, but only 28% in Alabama.

All in all, the chance of finding a stolen car is quite high. So Keep optimistic if your car is stolen.

Also Check: How To Complain About A Police Officer

How To Track A Stolen Car Without Gps

Despite what you might think, there are a lot of cars out there without GPS. You also have to understand that criminals arent as dumb as you may believe. In fact, despite the advances in technology, a lot of car thieves are smarter than some of the computer geeks who install and design smart technology. If someones going to steal your car, odds are, theyre going to turn off, remove or disable any GPS technology.

So, does this mean youre out of luck if someone steals your car and the GPS isnt on? Not necessarily. There are a handful of ways in which you can still track your stolen car, even if there is no GPS. Some of these require you to play amateur sleuth. But when it comes to tracking down your property, thats the least of your worries.

As much as wed like to believe the police have your best interests at heart, theres only so much they can do. They have serious crimes to deal with. Dont expect them to be banging down doors and studying miles and miles of surveillance cameras to find your Honda Accord. It just doesnt happen.

This means you may have to do some of the legwork yourself if you expect to find your car. Here, well talk about 4 ways you can locate your car is its stolen. Hopefully, youll never need this information. But its better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Check For Possible Cctv Recordings

Jackson police car wheels stolen again

In this age of rapidly expanding technology, it is common for businesses of all kinds to have security cameras installed outside of their business. Let’s put it this way, in most cities, someone somewhere is watching. This could be a parking lot or garage, street parking, or even parking near an ATM that has a camera. It is worth checking with any businesses near where you were parked to see if they might have captured the car thief on camera.

Read Also: Can Anyone Access Police Reports

Ensure Your Vehicle Is Really Stolen

You are stunned, of course. You are muttering and pacing, My car was stolen. Someone stole my car. What the heck?

Youre typing into your phones search engine, Does insurance cover stolen car?

Before you panic too much, call 911 or study up on how to create a terrible hex for a car thief, you might want to save a little embarrassment and confirm your vehicle has actually been stolen.

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.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes. My car was just gone. A hundred things ran through my mind. Did I lock it? Did I leave a window cracked? How did someone steal it? I ended up at the campus police department to report my stolen car, only to discover my car had been towed due to illegal parking. Whoops.”

Granted, time is of the essence, and so if youre sure, whip out your phone and call the police.

How To Find Stolen Cars

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow’s Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards.There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 61,102 times.Learn more…

In the U.S., a car is stolen once every 44 seconds.XResearch source If you believe your car has been stolen, you must report the theft to the police. However, you shouldnt stop there. Instead, you should search for your car by checking security footage and performing an online search. To prevent future thefts, follow basic safety tips.

Read Also: What’s The Cutoff Age To Be A Police Officer

Reporting Your Vehicle As Stolen

If your vehicle is stolen, your first step should be to report it as stolen to Nottinghamshire Police by calling 101 or, if the incident is in progress, by calling 999.

When you report your vehicle stolen, you should have been asked if you wanted the Police Duty Garage Scheme to recover it if it is later found and that a charge would apply for this service. You should also have been advised that you dont have to use the Police Duty Garage as there is no obligation to use the scheme.

If you weren’t asked about this, please read the information below then call us on 101, quoting your incident number, to record your wishes.

Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes In Your Area

Police find stolen luxury cars worth $400K behind motel

Motor vehicle theft is a common crime in America with hundreds of thousands of cars being stolen every year.

If you’re the victim of car theft, report your stolen car to law enforcement and file a claim with your car insurance company.

You also may need to contact your financing or leasing company about the stolen vehicle. Doing so will help you avoid legal issues, and ensure a smooth claims process with your insurance policy. Below we outline the key steps you should take if your car is stolen.

  • How to Prevent Your Car From Being Stolen in the Future
  • Read Also: How To Become A Police Officer In Atlanta

    Key Considerations For Police Pursuits Of Stolen Vehicles

    It is important to weigh the need to pursue a stolen vehicle against the safety of the officer and the motoring public.

    The overwhelming majority of vehicle pursuits are initiated for traffic violations. However, at roll call in just about every department in America does a run down of their list of vehicles known to be stolen, and officers out on patrol are on the lookout for those cars.

    Because the driver of a stolen vehicle is not the registered owner, officers cannot simply go to the ROs residence and await their return. So when an officer sees a vehicle reported to have been stolen, they typically call it in and initiate a pursuit.

    Typically when an officer sees a stolen vehicle they will verify the vehicle is in fact stolen before any action is taken. Once it is determined that the vehicle is reported to be stolen, an officer will attempt to stop it using just lights and siren. If a pursuit is initiated, then the officer should keep in mind that the stolen vehicle is still a property crime unless there are mitigating factors such as a carjacking, it was used in an armed robbery or a violent crime.

    Depending on the situation regarding the vehicle, the officer and probably also his/her supervisor will continue to ask and answer the question, How much police action should be taken and to what extent a pursuit will continue?

    Why do people steal cars and run from the cops?

    Safety for officers and innocent motorists must be paramount

    How Do Police Investigate Stolen Car

    When you report a stolen car to your local police department, a report entry begins. However, the transfer process may take a couple of days to be assign to an investigator. If detectives or investigators are busy, it could take even longer.

    During the report entry, your VIN and license plate are entered into a stolen vehicle database nationwide. This happens prior to the written report. Now, when any officer processes the license plates, they can tell if a car is stolen or not, and make attempt to recover it.

    The police department will contact you using the number or contact address you provided when you reported your stolen car. You will be notified on the impound location where the associated fees will be paid.

    The department receives hundreds of reports monthly, and your stolen car report is investigated in the order it is received. Even though the police department understands that you just want your vehicle back, your patience is necessary.

    The police finding a stolen vehicle can be difficult there is only a little, or no evidence to base the investigation. If there is a video available, the police detective works with it to recover the car faster. However, if there no timely video equipment, the investigation can be challenging.

    The video evidence is important to compare with an arrested suspect caught with your stolen vehicle.

    Don’t Miss: Can Police Track Textnow Numbers

    How To Make Your Car Harder To Steal

    Although car crime can be a random crime, there are certain steps you can take to make your car harder to steal. Often, a potential thief will see that you have these features and will be deterred, preventing any damage at all. By contrast, some steps will make your car much easier to steal.

    For example, if you leave your car to heat up in the morning by running the engine with the keys in the ignition, then you are making your car extremely easy to steal .

    For example

    The following tips will make it harder and less attractive for a thief to steal your car:

    • Dont have identifying information on your keychain. If you lose your keys,a thief can find your address and then steal your car without having to do any damage. Again, your insurance may not cover this.
    • Lock all doors, windows, and the trunk. Do this every time you leave the car, even if just for a minute or two.

    Ultimately, in an ideal world, we wouldnt have to worry about car theft however, knowing what to do and being prepared for every eventuality is the key to getting life back to normal if your car is stolen. Having your car stolen can be a traumatic and stressful event, but luckily there are ways to prevent it, to mitigate it, and recover from it.

    More articles

    Popular Articles