Grand theft auto is very common, and it’s a crime that has evolved over the years. Car thieves these days are very sleek with their techniques, but that doesn’t mean their attempts are completely unnoticeable. It’s not that difficult to tell whether a break-in attempt was made or not; you just have to look for the right signs. And in case you don’t know where to start, here’s a quick discussion on how you can check if someone tried to steal your car.
Your car alarm probably went off
One of the easiest ways to tell whether or not someone tried to steal your car is checking whether the alarm went off. If someone tried to open the car doors forcefully or tried to break in any other way, they must’ve triggered the alarm system. Hence, you should’ve received some sort of notification, or might’ve even heard the sound.
This, however, is not always the best way to tell whether or not there’s been a break-in attempt. Car alarms can go off for a lot of reasons other than a break-in attempt, like impact from another car or object, someone attempting to sit on the hood or trunk, etc. Hence, you can never be sure why your alarm went off without making further inspections.
Scratches on your doors and windows
Take a good look at the windows and door handles, and see if you can find small scratches. If you do, someone probably tried to break in through one of those places.
The scratches on the doors will be pretty clear, especially if the car has a bright color like red or blue. These scratches should be near the door locks, as the person who tried to steal the car probably went straight for the locks. Check the sides of the doors as well while you’re at it. If the car’s a bit old or rusty, thieves are likely to think that the locks don’t fit that well and hence, they simply tried to open the doors using a crowbar.
As for the windows, thieves will probably try to break the glass from the sides rather than the middle. That’s because it’s very difficult to break tempered glass, especially from the middle where it’s at its strongest. The sides of the glass, however, are comparatively less difficult to break. Hence, that’s where the scratches left by the thieves should be.
The scratches on your doors can be taken care of quite easily. If it’s anything bad, you might need to repaint the car. The window scratches, however, depend on the size of the scratches. Based on that, you either have to repair or replace the glass.
Broken locks or shattered glass
A broken lock is a clear indication that a break-in attempt was made and was perhaps successful as well. They either jammed the lock with a pin or sharp object or completely broke through it using a hammer.
If you find shattered windows, that’s a pretty clear indication that a break-in did happen. Whether or not it was to steal your car or something inside the car is something worth pondering over.
Broken locks are easy to replace. Just take them to any auto locksmith or car dealership, and they’ll get it replaced in no time. The window glass, however, will need some additional inspection. If the scratches are too deep and long and have formed cracks on your glass, you probably have to replace them. A simple repair job won’t suffice in this case. However, if the scratches are small, you’ll be able to repair them. how to tell if som
Damaged dashboard and steering wheel
Once a thief breaks into your car, they’ll probably hammer away at the dashboard or steering wheel in an attempt to expose the keyhole. They’ll then try to start the car by trying to manipulate that keyhole. In most cases, this is a very futile attempt. However, the damage is still quite substantial.
Apart from getting the dashboard fixed, you’ll probably want to get assistance with your car key. In case it needs to be replaced or reprogrammed, you should contact an auto locksmith. Their services are a lot cheaper and faster than regular car dealerships. There are these amazing auto locksmiths in Sittingbourne that can get your modules fixed or replaced in less than a day. This is the type of service you should be looking for when you’re trying to get your car fixed.