My car registration and insurance info was stolen

[MarineOne]

It's a multi-faceted problem.

They can use it for identity theft, stealing your car, insurance fraud, false plates, etc.

- Call the police and have a report filed for the theft.

- Call your insurance company with the info, cancel your policy and have them re-issue it under a different number.

- Contact the DMV and inform them with the police report number so they flag your registration/VIN.

- Re-key your car, and have it flagged in the dealer's system.

- Put a block on your credit with the big 3 credit tracking companies.


Protect yourself now. Give it a few months and you'll see what starts happening.



Kris

 

[Trebor]

Geno,

We must be neighbors as I was just going to say what you said.

 

[peyton]

My concern as noted above is garage door openers, they have your address and how many of us lock the door going from the garage to the inside of the house.

 

[MarineOne]

My concern as noted above is garage door openers, they have your address and how many of us lock the door going from the garage to the inside of the house.

Both my wife and I do. So far I've had to call a locksmith twice to get us back in because we locked ourselves out.

I know he's probably made fun of us for it, because he knows my wife and I by our first names.


Kris

 

[Water Garden]

I would if it were me, just to document when and where my personal info was stolen.

I always keep my insurance and registration under my pass side floor mat.

 

[bob kk]

Have a friend. His wife left her car at a shop for a little work.
When they got home that night someone had took a lot of
stuff from their house. He lost a few guns. No doors pried
open or no damage. She left all her keys with the car. Don't
leave a house key with vehicles being repaired or serviced.
How do you prove some one at the shop user her key to
break in their house.

 

[withdrawn34]

I usually just leave it unlocked because there's nothing in there worth stealing (so I thought) and if they want to get into the car, they're going to. I'd rather have someone open the door and go thru the car and realize there's nothing there than have them break a window.

I never thought anyone would bother stealing the insurance/registration paperwork though.

Most car-stuff thieves go around checking for what doors are unlocked. If they get in, they'll get whatever is the most quickly accessible. Even a locked glovebox might be too much for them to bother. You should always lock your doors and roll up your windows 100%, and you already have this part down but it bears repeating - don't leave any valuables in sight. In fact, don't leave anything in sight. A messy car makes a thief curious as to what might be hidden everywhere.

Plus, a clean car is just better.

 

[KJS]

My concern as noted above is garage door openers, they have your address and how many of us lock the door going from the garage to the inside of the house.

I don't, but only because I don't have an attached garage.

Anybody with an attached garage definitely should look the door leading into their home as it's an ideal way for a criminal to break in. Of course, even if you lock that door a criminal can still work on getting though that door within a garage that keeps their crime hidden from the view of neighbors who might well call police if this was tried in plain view.

I heard about one woman who hangs used targets in her garage to suggest they try an easier target, like a gal who doesn't have a gun and visit a shooting range to use it. On one hand, that might encourage a criminal since they then would expect the chance to steal a gun(s), but they also risk meeting an angry lady with a gun.