Even the most cautious car owner is vulnerable to car theft, as individual parts of vehicles are often specifically targeted, such as tires and rims.
So, what do you do if someone has taken your tires and rims? If you’d like to find out, keep reading to see what I learned!
What Do I Do If Someone Stole My Tires And Rims?
Despite all of the technical developments in the car industry, traditional wheel theft continues to be an issue across the country amounting to at least $1 million. Therefore, file a police report as soon as you find out you have missing wheels and tires, which will be useful in filing for an insurance claim if you have full coverage.
To find out how to protect your tires from thieves, what to do in case your tires get stolen, and how to limit personal financial pinch due to such theft, keep on reading for useful facts and tips!
How Do I Protect My Tires And Rims From Getting Stolen?
When you’re out and about, park your car in a congested area in order to make your car a less appealing target.
Thieves are only interested in one thing: a vehicle parked in a secluded spot. No thief would even consider stealing a car that is parked in an area where people and traffic are constantly moving, making such a space ideal for a parking spot.
If your car is targeted in the future, a security alarm might be quite useful.If you get a high-quality motion-activated security alarm, you’ll be notified the minute robbers attempt to take your vehicle.
Even if someone tries to get into your car when it’s locked, the alarm will sound, making an alarm a good investment to protect your car.
Get as near to the curb as possible when parallel parking on the street, as a burglar will have a harder time putting a jack beneath your car the closer it is to the curb.
While the street side of your vehicle will remain visible, the tires on the curbside will be more protected.
Metal boots, which cover the lug nuts like an earmuff, may be used to lock up all of your wheels, as attaching each one can take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes and may necessitate the use of special gear.
Boots will also be a deterrent if you need to leave your automobile outside for an extended period of time. They’re approximately $70 a pair and are available online and in auto stores.
Does Turning Your Wheels Prevent Theft?
When parking your car, turn your car’s wheels at a 45-degree angle; the inner fender will likely be in the way, making it harder for a thief to remove the lug nuts and steal the wheel.
Do Wheel Locks Prevent Tire Theft?
Wheel locks may be used to replace standard lug nuts, which is an ideal way to keep your automobile wheels from being stolen.
To loosen the nuts on these locks, you’ll need specialized equipment, which not everyone has. Don’t worry, you’ll get the tool when you buy it, but the thief will be easily fooled.
Thieves expect cars to be fitted with ordinary nuts that can be unlocked with simple tools, but if you want to safeguard your car wheels from theft, this can be a lifesaver.
What Should You Do If Your Tire Is Stolen?
When your tire is stolen, the first step you should take is to file a police report. Unfortunately, some police agencies lack the resources necessary to investigate every car break-in.
Even if you don’t think your tires will be recovered or the burglar will be apprehended, you should contact the police for two reasons: insurance and pattern identification.
If you decide to make an insurance claim for your stolen tires, you’ll almost certainly require a police report.
Reporting stolen tires can assist law enforcement in identifying patterns, such as neighborhoods or streets that are being targeted more frequently by criminals.
To make a police complaint, you may need to provide your driver’s license, car registration, and other papers, depending on your jurisdiction.
In vehicles equipped with a direct tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), a sensor is physically installed in each of the vehicle’s four tires.
Your vehicle’s Electronic Control Unit (ECU), often known as the onboard computer system, is synchronized with these battery-powered sensors.
When the TPMS is synchronized to the ECU, it stores the identification number of each sensor as well as the tire location where each sensor is positioned on the vehicle.
A stolen tire may be identified by placing a scan tool near the tire’s valve system, which will show the identification number for the TPMS and thus identify a stolen tire and be returned to you.
Your car’s TPMS also has a GPS anti-theft function, meaning that the position of the vehicle can be obtained anytime through the use of a communication way and pressure and temperature value of tires.
Most city residents don’t have access to a secure parking place for their cars. While most of us park our cars in public areas, we must ensure that they’re secure.
You can invest in a CCTV camera that is constantly pointed at the location where the automobile is parked.
Does Insurance Cover Rim Theft?
Stolen tires and rims are only covered by your car insurance policy if you have the appropriate coverage.
To put it another way, if you simply have the minimum liability coverage allowed by your state, you’re only insured for physical harm, property damage, and personal injury protection.
Rims and tires are usually covered under comprehensive automobile insurance.
It’s understandable that if you’ve spent a lot of money on custom tires and rims, you’ll want to be sure they’re covered by your insurance.
This is especially true in cities where car theft is prevalent. An expert gang of thieves can have your car jacked up and the tires off without anybody noticing in no time.
As a result, certain automobile manufacturers now incorporate specific wheel locks that must be removed using a modified wrench head.
Does Full Coverage Insurance Cover Stolen Tires?
As stated above, comprehensive coverage may be able to help you repair or replace your tires if they’re slashed or stolen.
This is a policy option that also provides coverage if your car is damaged in non-crash events like vandalism or theft.
If your car insurance policy doesn’t include comprehensive coverage, you will be liable to replacing your own tires if they’re stolen or damaged. Therefore, check the fine print to determine if you have comprehensive coverage on your insurance policy.
If you want to know more, you can also see our posts if tires have tubes, how to slash tires, and why did tires get slashed.
Conclusion
Tire theft can happen to even the most cautious car owner, and such events are rapidly growing across the United States. A cheap and simple way of preventing tire theft is by always parking your car in busy areas full of traffic.
Moreover, you can install your car and tires with a TPMS, which may enable you to locate your tires after theft through GPS. In case your tires are stolen, immediately report it to the police and follow up your insurance claim if you have full coverage.