If you have been out in your car and you return to discover that someone has smashed a window in order to steal an item from the interior of your vehicle, it can be really upsetting. The shock of finding broken glass may make it difficult to work out what you need to do next. Below is a handy guide which will help you to prepare in case car thieves target you.

Do not touch the car

When you see that your car window has been broken, it can be tempting to open the door and climb inside so you can check if any valuable items such as satellite navigation equipment or mobile phones have been stolen. However, if you do this, you may damage evidence such as fingerprints and DNA which have been left behind by the person who committed the crime. Stay well back and do not touch a thing.

Call the police

You should call the police and report the crime as soon as you can. If you do not have a mobile phone with you, you should ask to use the phone in the nearest shop or residence. You should give the police your precise location and a report of any items you believe may be missing. Finally, once you have filed the report, you should ask the police for a reference number. This number will be needed when you make an insurance claim to cover the cost of the damage and any stolen items. If possible, you should also take photographs of the scene as this will help with your insurance claim. The police may visit the car to collect any forensic evidence, they will also check if the area is covered by CCTV so they can attempt to identify the perpetrator.

Call in a mobile auto glass repair contractor

Finally, you should call an auto glass replacement​ centre and request that they send out a contractor to your location. Depending on the type of policy you have, the cost of this service may be covered by your car insurance. If not, you should establish the price with the repair centre before having work carried out. If you join an auto glass repair scheme, you may receive a significant discount on the cost of the work. The mobile repair contractor will drive to your location and will clean out the pieces of broken glass from your car before replacing the smashed glass.