If your car has ever been stolen, you’ll know how terrifying it can be. You have to worry about getting back on the road and finding your vehicle, if you eventually find it, you have to deal with any damage that may have been done to the vehicle.
However, not everyone is lucky enough to have their car recovered after it has been stolen. While some recover their car, others are left with pain and worry about how to purchase another car. But the question is, what happens when your car is stolen and recovered?
When your car is stolen, the person that stole the car can use it to commit a crime; that is why you should notify the police and your insurance company immediately. However, when the car is recovered, you will be notified by the police about the recovery and to come to pick it up.
Can a Stolen Car be Recovered?
Yes, stolen cars can be recovered. In most cases, a stolen car will be recovered within 24 hours of being reported as stolen.
The average time from when a vehicle is reported to when it’s recovered is between 8 and 10 days. That is why you should report your car stolen immediately after it’s stolen to fasten the recovery process.
However, some cars may take longer than this due to circumstances such as weather conditions or police actions that slow down the process
In the unfortunate event that your car is stolen, it is possible to recover it. The amount of time it takes for a stolen vehicle to be recovered depends on several things.
The first thing that will determine if your vehicle will be found is the circumstances surrounding the theft. How far away from home were you when the theft took place? How much time has passed since the vehicle has been stolen? Was the vehicle hijacked from you or it was stolen from where you parked?
Whether there are any unique markings on the vehicle itself, such as dents or scratches or there are no scratches at all and no unique markings.
The answer to all these questions will determine if the vehicle can be recovered and all these features could help track down its location more easily than other similar models in circulation at any given moment in time.
Vehicles that are hijacked during a police chase after a robbery or a crime has been committed have the highest chance of being recovered that same day. This is because the police are already chasing the criminal that hijacked the car.
However, the downside here is that you may or may not get your car back in very good condition considering the rough ride made by the criminal during the police chase.
In addition to recovering your vehicle quickly after it’s been reported as stolen, there are other benefits associated with recovering your vehicle quickly.
One of the benefits is that you don’t have to pay any storage fees while waiting for law enforcement officials to retrieve it from its current location; this could save you thousands of dollars over time
What Happens When Your Car is Stolen and Recovered?
When your car was stolen and recovered, the first thing that will be done to your vehicle is that it will be towed to a police impound lot.
The police will process the vehicle for evidence such as fingerprints and check its title. They may also inspect the interior of your car to see if any evidence could help them in investigating.
When your car is recovered, you’ll be notified. The police will contact you and tell you that they’ve found your vehicle and that should come to pick it up. They’ll also give you a receipt for the vehicle in case it gets damaged while in their possession.
When you get your vehicle back, you may be asked to pay a fee to get it out of impound storage. You may be asked to pay $100 if you have an active registration or insurance policy on file.
You may also be asked to pay $200 if you don’t have an active registration, and $500 if there are multiple fines against your name for traffic violations. All of these fees in addition to outstanding parking tickets or unpaid tolls.
You may also need to pay storage fees until these costs have been processed as evidenced by law enforcement agencies involved with recovering stolen vehicles.
If someone else stole this particular vehicle from you but had already been caught by authorities at some point before then (and jailed), then he/she could claim ownership after being released from prison due solely because he/she paid off his debt!”
If the thief can’t sell or get away with selling your car, he or she may just keep it around as long as possible until someone buys some of their stuff.
This is why it is not recommended to buy used cars from people who do not have their names written and signed in the car title as the owner of the vehicle.
Don’t forget that you need to inform your insurance company immediately after your car is stolen and immediately after it is recovered for documentation purposes. It’s a must thing to do.
Why Do People Steal Cars?
There are many reasons why people steal cars. It’s estimated that more than one million cars are stolen every year in the United States alone.
So when you hear that your car has been stolen, there are several reasons why someone would want to steal it. Here’s a look at some of the most common:
To Sell The Car
The most common reason why people steal cars is to sell them.
The process of buying and reselling cars makes it easy for car thieves to get away with car thefts because it’s easy to sell a car to someone else that wants to resell it without the person knowing that the car is stolen.
For Joyrides
Another reason why people steal cars is for joyrides through areas where police presence is low or where other vehicles drive slowly on narrow roads
These include back roads in rural areas during peak hours when traffic volumes are low but speed limits are relaxed due to construction work being done nearby or accidents causing delays on highways
To Transport Contrabands
People also steal cars for transporting contraband across state lines. This way it is not easy to track the car because the car wasn’t registered in their name.
To be Used as a Gateway Vehicle
Cars are also stolen sometimes to be used as getaway vehicles. For instance, when thieves just robbed a place, they hijack and steal other people’s cars so that they can go unnoticed and blend in easily with the traffic on the road.
Best Ways to Prevent Your Car From Getting Stolen
Here are some best practices to prevent your car from getting stolen:
1. Don’t Leave Valuables in The Car
Whenever you’re leaving your car, you should make sure that you don’t leave any valuables in your car or even if they will be in your car they shouldn’t be in visible places so it doesn’t attract car thieves.
2. All Doors Should Be Locked At All Times
Lock your doors whenever possible, even if it means locking yourself out of the vehicle for a few minutes. If you don’t have time for this step, put at least one window up or roll up all but one of your windows before leaving.
This way, it’ll appear as if someone is still inside when someone tries to break into your car later on but make sure no one is there.
3. Park Your Car Securely
Park securely so that only authorized people can get into it by using locks on each side of their wheel wells or undercarriage parts like bumpers.
4. Park Your Car In Well-Lit Areas
Park in well-lit areas, especially at night. It’s easier for someone to see your car if the sun isn’t shining directly on it. If possible, park in an area that has more than one level so you won’t be as visible from the ground level.
5. Install an Alarm System
Install an alarm system that alerts authorities when activated. Some systems even include GPS tracking so officers can find the vehicle quickly when necessary.
Conclusion
It’s important to consider how your car is insured and how you can protect yourself from being a victim of theft. The most important thing is to be aware of what could happen if it’s lost or stolen so that you can take the proper precautions