Organize to Prevent (or Recover From) a Car Theft
HOW I LEARNED ABOUT “KIA BOYS”
It all started with a voicemail. I heard voices mumbling, and then a teenage girl said, “Hi. I’m just wondering, did you lose a car? Call this number back because, um, we just saw a red Kia, so if you’re missing a red Kia call this number back because we just saw someone drive away with a red Kia.”
I get a lot of robocalls, recorded messages meant to sound like personal calls. On my office line and cell, they want to talk to me about my car warranty or a problem on my “Microsoft computer” or, since the pandemic, let me know my company is due $26,000 per (non-existent) employee for the Employee Retention Tax Credit.
But I have a red Kia Soul, which I just paid off last month. So instead of hitting “delete,” I saved the voicemail (from an hour earlier), grabbed my key fob, and ran outside to my parking space. I clicked, but heard no “whoop whoop.” Repeatedly clicking, I searched left to right, thinking perhaps I’d parked a few spaces away in either direction. No car. No broken glass. Just nothing.
I pinched myself, sure this was one of those dreams, like the one where it’s the end of the school year and you haven’t ever attended class. I called the number back, and began a harrowing day. I learned that at 8:50 a.m., the caller and three fellow homeschooled classmates were walking into the gym associated with a church around the corner, just 0.8 miles away. The car thief, startled by their approach, “got back in the car, hit a fence, and drove off through a field.”
The thief drove my car into the church’s enclosure fence
Unfortunately, they didn’t think to call the police at the time, but after their volleyball practice was over, they came out to find that before they’d interrupted him, the driver had tossed all of my insurance and registration paperwork (as well as, inexplicably, my umbrella and the car parts he’d broken) all over the parking lot and the edge of the field. The girls found my number on the insurance papers and called me at that point.
From there, I called the police. I received a dutiful visit from an officer whose serious demeanor reminded me of Tim from The Rookie.
Next, I spent the afternoon making an insurance claim over the phone, which was made more difficult by a powerful thunder/lightning/hail storm and tornado watch and a four-hour power outage that knocked out my landline.
This was no ring of car thieves. (Kias have the VIN number etched on every engine part, so chop shops don’t want them.) It was, as witnesses and doorbell cameras eventually identified, a teenage boy. Apparently, mine was not an uncommon experience. As I learned from the numerous salt-in-the-wound emails my friends and colleagues sent me, it was an attack by “Kia Boys.” These teenagers learn (from videos propagated across YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok) how to exploit a flaw in some Kias and Hyundais to start them with just a USB cable, steal them, go joyriding, and abandon the vehicles after a bit of nefarious Ferris Beuler’s Day Off fun.
Kia and Hyundai just settled a $200 million lawsuit which should have meant theft victims like me would be reimbursed for damages, towing and car rental costs, and other out-of-pocket charges racked up as a result of this thievery. There would also have been software upgrades, extended alarms, and stickers to warn off would-be thieves. However, last week, a judge delayed approval of the settlement, saying “it fails to provide “fair and adequate” relief to vehicle owners.”
ORGANIZE TO PREVENT YOUR CAR FROM BEING STOLEN
If being organized guaranteed a car wouldn’t be stolen, professional organizers would be immune. However, there are proactive measures to make your vehicle less vulnerable and deter potential thieves from targeting your car.
- Keep your car in your garage. This recalls the quote, “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” The safest place for your car is in your locked garage rather than in the driveway or on the street. Of course, this means that you might have to reduce the clutter in your garage and organize it to make room for your household’s cars.
- Park in well-lit, well-populated areas, especially at night. This obviously isn’t foolproof, as my car was stolen in broad daylight, at approximately 8:40 a.m., with 40 apartments directly facing my parking space.
- Remove valuables from your car when you’re not in it. Keep a basket or bin in your vehicle or the garage to make it easy to carry things from car-to-home at the end of the day.
- This advice isn’t designed to clutter-shame you, but why tempt thieves who might steal the contents of your car even if they don’t steal your entire car? My car was practically empty; not counting jumper cables in the hatchback/trunk area (which the thief never accessed), the only non-paper items in the interior car were two umbrellas, a $10 phone charger, and my driving eyeglasses.
- The less you have in your car, the easier it is to remember what was stolen and to report it to the police (in case they can track fenced items) and your insurance company.
- If you must leave valuables in the car when you are out and about, hide them to make the contents of the car, if not the car itself, look less desirable. Stash things in the trunk or under the seat, or even in an empty dog food bag or diaper box.
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- If there are valuable things in your car that you cannot conveniently remove (like children’s car seats or assistive devices like wheelchairs), at least make an inventory of what you own so, in the worst case scenario, you know what’s missing and what needs to be replaced.
- Remove personally-valuable items from your car. I’m amazed whenever an organizing client says, “Oh, I left my purse in the car, let me go get it.” Wallet, checkbook, phone, family photos, toddler’s favorite stuffy? If you’re not in the car, they shouldn’t be in the car, not just because some things tempt thieves, but because your life will be much more inconvenient if you not only lack your car but also your allergy medicine or your chid’s schoolbag with homework or your credit cards.
- Don’t keep any unnecessary personally-identifying papers in the car. However, if stopped by police, you must provide your license and registration, and most jurisdictions now ask for proof of insurance. There’s a safety tradeoff related to keeping insurance and registration information solely on your phone (even in a secure cloud) vs. in the car, and your state and region may have specific rules for digital vs. tangible records.
- Don’t keep other people’s personally-identifying papers unattended in your car. Whether you’re a doctor, lawyer, professional organizer, or whatever else, don’t leave client files easily accessed by ne’er-do-wells.
- Never leave your car running if you are not sitting in it. In the past, I’ve been tempted to get a detachable keyring so I could leave my car running while using my mail key ten feet from my car. Imagine the guilt and frustration you’d feel if you made it that easy for a bad guy to take your car!
- Never leave your keys in the car.
- I don’t just mean your car keys; if a thief has your car and your keyring and your insurance/registration papers, he can figure out where you live (even if the car was stolen from elsewhere) and access your home and your family. Yikes!
- I don’t just mean the keys shouldn’t be visible. Don’t leave keys in your glovebox or console or under the floor mat!
- Always Lock Your Car — Thieves are opportunistic. Don’t make it easy for them.
- Consider a Steering Wheel Lock. — Yes, they’re ugly and clunky and haven’t really been updated since the 1980s when The Club was popular, but if you don’t have a manufacturer-installed software/hardware solution, a visible steering wheel lock can act as a deterrent.
- Use Wheel Locks — If you’re going to be away for an extended period of time, whether your car is at the airport or outside your home, or just fear your wheels or tires being stolen, wheel locks (AKA: lug nut locks) prevent thieves from (easily) removing your tires and wheels. The locks require a special key to remove the nuts. I have them, but unluckily for me, the evildoer wanted my entire car.
- Talk to your insurance company, your dealer, and mechanic about installing any/all of the following:
- An Alarm System — Most modern cars already have alarm systems set when you lock the car such that if someone tries to break in, a loud, annoying sound alerts everyone in the vicinity. However, there are after-market alarm systems to make the alarm louder and of longer duration.
- A Kill Switch — It’s possible to install an electrical device that prevents your car’s engine from starting unless you engage a hidden switch, and it’s a surprisingly inexpensive option. Thieves won’t be able to start the car, even if they have the keys.
- A GPS Tracking System — There are electronic systems and services that allow you to monitor your vehicle’s location so that if your car is stolen, you can tell information and they can find the car. My car’ Kia e-Services allowed me to see the last location I parked (which is helpful in a crowded mall or airport), but it only works in confluence with my phone. A subscription service like Kia Connect or OnStar can actually monitor the location of the car at any time.
- Failing all this, buy an Apple AirTag and link it to your Apple ID account; then tuck it into the upholstery of your vehicle.
You’ll be able to track your car, just as you can use Find My to find your phone or computer. (Car & Driver has a list of similar car trackers.) However, don’t try to recover your car on your own or face off with the thieves; let the police do that!
Again, these precautions aren’t perfect, but you can significantly reduce the risk of a break-in or car theft.
ORGANIZE TO RECOVER FROM A CAR THEFT
If your car gets stolen, it’s important to take prompt action to increase the chances of recovering your vehicle and minimize potential damage.
Recover Procedurally and Physically
1) Contact the Police — Report the theft to your local law enforcement agency as soon as you realize your car has been stolen. Provide them with all necessary details, including your vehicle’s make, model, color, license plate number, VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), and any distinguishing features. Update police with additional information that might help them locate your vehicle, such as any recent sightings, potential locations where the car might have been taken, and any personal belongings that might have been inside the car.
2) Notify Your Insurance Company and Start a Claim — Contact your insurance company to report the theft. They will guide you through the claims process and provide instructions on what information and documentation you need to provide. Your insurance company should also be able to arrange for a rental car, depending on your policy.
If your stolen car is recovered but damaged, you will owe your comprehensive (not collision) deductible, as I explained in Organize for an Accident: Don’t Crash Your Car Insurance Paperwork [UPDATED]. Be prepared for the work to take a long while. I’m two weeks into the process and the estimates haven’t been completed!
3) Notify the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) if you’re required to report auto thefts in your jurisdiction. (Ask the police officer who takes your report, check the DMV site, or call to verify.) If someone tries to register a car with your VIN, it should pop up in the DMV’s system as stolen.
3) Try to Find Your Car, but Don’t Get in the Way of the Police — You are not a professional, so don’t step on law enforcement’s toes. However, there are some things you can do:
- GPS Tracking — If your vehicle is equipped with a GPS tracking system, notify the tracking company about the theft. They may coordinate with law enforcement locate your vehicle.
- Check Your Trackers — Track your AirTag’s (or another tracker‘s) location.
- Reach Out on Social Media and in Your Community — Utilize social media platforms to share information about your stolen vehicle, including photos, a description, and any relevant details. You can also share the information with local community groups and online forums to increase awareness. Do not post your personal (off-platform) contact info, though.
- Check Nearby Surveillance Cameras — If the theft occurred in an area with security cameras (e.g., parking lots, streets), contact nearby businesses or property owners to see if they have any surveillance footage that could help identify the thief or the location where the car was taken.
- Ask witnesses to call the police, and give names of witnesses to the police. If call a main number to provide updated information, reference your police report or case number.
4) Keep Organized Notes and Documentation. Write a time-stamp in the corner of the page as you keep a contemporaneous log of everyone you contact at the police, insurance company, towing company, and other services.
You’ll need to provide your VIN number, license plate number, insurance policy number, and police report number over and over. Highlight them on the paper or bold and enlarge them on your screen for quick access. Keep a record of all the information related to the theft, including names of officers, agents, adjustors, or employees with whom you speak. Make a special subfolder for email correspondence with your insurance company or body shops.
5) Prevent Identity Theft — If the thieves gain access to any of your personal information through papers left in the car, be diligent in monitoring your financial accounts and credit reports for any signs of identity theft.
The sooner you take action after your car is stolen, the better your chances of recovering it. It’s also crucial to remain patient and work closely with law enforcement and your insurance company throughout the process.
Recover Emotionally
Call a friend and have them come over and sit with you while you deal with the initial aftermath. If nothing else, they can be a calming presence and body double, watch your kids or sit with your elderly relatives, or make tea. They can answer your landline if you’re on your cell or vice versa. They can take contemporaneous notes while you’re speaking with the police or insurance so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. They can help you brainstorm what might have been in the car, and make sure you don’t miss any steps.
Seek support. You have been a victim of a crime, and while this is not in the same realm as a home invasion or physical attack, it is a violation. Consider speaking with a therapist to handle any anxiety that the situation provokes.
DON’T LET A CAR THIEF LIVE IT UP ON YOUR DIME
Pause or disable any car-related services. Once I’d dealt with the police and insurance, I was frustrated knowing that I would not be able to listen to satellite radio in the rental car. It suddenly made me very angry imagining that not only would I be unable to bop along to 80s songs or listen to Dragnet on Radio Classics, but I realized, “This little miscreant could be in my car right now, listening to Howard Stern!”
Oh, Joe Friday, if only you could have caught the guy!
A little Googling taught me that while you can suspend Sirius XM satellite radio service for up to six months, you can only do by calling, not online. Sirius will only suspend the service for a month at a time, and you must call back to continue the suspension or resume service.
Consider what services are connected to your car so you can avoid the tale told in The Creepy Second Life of a Totaled Tesla.
HOW TO BE AN AMATEUR SLEUTH WITHOUT GETTING IN THE POLICE’S WAY
The night of the theft, after the storms and tornados were behind us, just as a lovely rainbow appeared, my neighbor and his friend offered to drive me around the neighborhood of the church where the thief had dumped my belongings. Behind the church, we saw the small area enclosed by a wooden fence and the portion knocked down by the thief.
Yup. Those are tire tracks. (Would you call that a field?)
We could also see the tire tracks where the thief drove through what the witnesses called a field, but is really just a grassy backyard; on the other wise was an opening onto a suburban street. The guys walked across the wet lawn and dropped a pin on their phones.
My neighbor leads the way across the wet field; his brave friend is wearing shoes he’d literally purchased an hour earlier. Thanks, Jonathan & Andrew!
We then drove to the pinned map location and around the neighborhood, with my arm stuck out the window to see if my key fob could set off the alarm. No luck, but I felt a bit better knowing we’d tried.
AN UPDATE ON THE THEFT OF THE KIA
The witnesses’ coach contacted the police and helped the girls make a detailed report; she also contacted the church’s pastor. He and his wife picked up all of the items the thief dumped in their parking lot. Remember the storms and tornado watch? Had these kind people not connected, my registration and insurance paperwork (and umbrella!) might have ended up in Oz.
When I retrieved my possessions the next day, I learned that the pastor had also made a police report (since it was the church’s fence that the thief hit during his ill-considered escape from the piercing eyes of four teenage girls). Better yet, the church has outdoor security cameras!
In this bad news/good news/bad news story, the good news is that the police recovered the car the next day. (They even fingerprinted it, just like on TV!) Doorbell footage shows the car was abandoned approximately 15 minutes after the girls saw him, and no more than 30 minutes after it was stolen. And both the dumping of my papers at the church and abandonment were within a mile of my house (in a cul-de sac about one-tenth of a mile from where I’d been clicking the key fob the prior night).
The bad news is that the car was pretty extensively damaged; in addition to front-end smooshing, the ignition system was destroyed and the car isn’t drivable. There’s also unknown functional damage, plus the formerly pristine interior was left a muddy mess. It’s now in the hands of the insurance company and the collision shop.
As with any bad experience, there are always moments of lightness and humor. In addition to leaving behind implements of destruction and thievery, the hoodlum left a ziplock bag filled with about $20+ of quarters. Pinching the bag between my thumb and forefinger as if it were a dirty diaper, I turned it over to the police officer (who gently rolled his eyes when I suggested it might have drug residue on it). My sister tsk’ed that the bag could have held a rare coin, something to fund any non-covered repairs. And my friend suggested the thief planned to take my car to an arcade, or possibly a laundromat. (Considering how much mud he tracked into my car, I’m guessing the latter.)
For what it’s worth, at the end of the day of the theft, storms, and tornado watches, there was a sign of hopefulness.
Paper Doll Post:
Julie, I am so sorry you had to go through all that!
Another tip my dad gave me is if you have to leave something in your car when you leave it, put it in the trunk BEFORE you reach your destination. If a would-be-thief sees you put it in the trunk and then walk away, that’s way more tempting than just a car.
Absolutely true! Points to your dad! Had the post not been so long already, I would have talked about how you should put holiday shopping in the trunk and then drive and park elsewhere at the mall to complete your shopping. Too often, people load their trunks and then leave the car in full view to go back inside.
Aww, The Club. First accessory I bought for my first car and I used it religiously.
I suspect they are increasing their sales for the first time in decades! Thanks for reading, Laura!
This is such terrific information, Julie. I’m so sorry that you have this information and are sharing it because of what happened to you.
Thanks so much, Diane. The way I look at it, every bad thing that happens, if I can find an organizing twist, at least provides an opportunity for me to research and help others recover. But yes, I’d rather have had something like this be based entirely on web research. ;-(
What a complete and total HASSLE! I’m so sorry you had to go through all of this. Not having your car is bad enough, but having it take, your stuff tossed out, and then having it trashed is quite awful.
I never though to put an airtag in my car, but that really is an easy answer. I think I might also check with my dealership to see if they have any tracking connected to my vehicle – they might!
I hope you get a replacement or whatever is best quickly. Hugs to you!!
Thanks, Seana. I’m still working my way through estimates and repairs. My poor baby will be in intensive (vehicle) care for quite some time.
I hope you get your car back soon. I can commiserate a bit with you. Having just paid off your car it gets stolen. I had bought my first brand new car and 4 days later someone ran into it. Somehow it makes the situation of dealing with police, insurance and repairs that must more aggravating when the vehicle is special in some way. Thanks for laying out the steps to help solve the stolen car situation and adding humour.
OMG, Julie, your experience sounds awful. The excitement over your very first new car was still shiny; I mean mine is 5 1/2 years old and it’s still “new” to me. I’m so sorry that happened to you.
Thanks for reading!
Julie- I am so sorry about what happened and are still going through. In your true, resilient fashion, you used your life experience to help the rest of us be prepared to deter a car theft or know what to do if one occurs. Thank you so much.
I’ve had a few break-ins. Once, my car was broken into when I parked on the street in NYC. Another time, we were broken into at my apartment when I lived in Brooklyn. It’s not a good feeling. It was less about what was stolen or damaged and more about feeling violated. I appreciate how you addressed that here. Calling a friend and having physical and emotional support is so important.
I’ll be thinking of you and hoping your car returns from the body shop better than new.
Sending you extra love and hugs, my friend.
Thank you for your lovely and kind words, Linda. The one way I am getting past this experience is by using what I’ve learned to help others prevent and recover. But yeah. It’s yucky.
Oh, Julie — that sucks! I’ve been privy to updates on your ordeal, and am happy that you could at least gather all your hard-won wisdom together in one place to share with others. I hope your baby comes home good as new!
Also, I did, recently, put something in my trunk for safekeeping…while parked in a parking lot. I mean, if I SAW someone watching me, I wouldn’t. But it’s hard to check every other car and passerby, and hard to see who might be watching from inside an adjacent building. So, I’ll think twice about how I do that next time.
I think the holidays are the most concerning time for walking items to your car (and at least most malls and shopping centers have security guards). But in general, and this is really unfair, we have to assume that we are at risk at all times.
I hope my experiences help others avoid similar fates.
So sorry this happened, I’m glad you’re ok.
Thanks, Janet. I appreciate that. I keep reminding myself of the ways it could have been worse; at least it wasn’t a carjacking!
[…] that you will want to read. It even includes a video explaining why the bad actor targeted her car. You will find that post […]