Around 2.7 four-wheeled vehicles are stolen every day, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP) records. In fact, it went to as high as 3.18 per day in November 2015! No one wants to be a victim certainly, but in case it does happen, here are some tips to help when your car gets stolen.

#1: Keep calm and make sure that the car is stolen. It’s possible that the car was misplaced or towed or parked in a different level/row (it has happened). Either way, on’t confuse this with it being stolen.

#2: Call the police. Once you’re fairly certain that your car isn’t misplaced/towed, call the police quickly and be prepared file a report. Be ready with a detailed description of your vehicle. It’s very helpful to have your OR/CR (Original Receipt and Certificate of Registration) handy even if it’s just a photocopy. If not, be prepared to supply information such as VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), registered owner’s name and address, license plate number, and of course, your own driver’s license when filing the complaint sheet.

#3: If your vehicle is equipped with GPS services, call your provider to locate or even immobilize it. Make sure to inform the authorities if your car has GPS capabilities to help track it.

#4: Call your insurance company. Contact your insurance company to begin the claim process. The police will issue a certificate of non-recovery (for insurance claims), usually after 90 days. Be ready for a lot of paper work, including copies of the complaint sheets filed, sales invoice, PNO motor vehicle clearance certificate, and other proof of ownership.  For those with comprehensive coverage, confirm with the insurer that the theft coverage applies. For those without the theft coverage, it is still prudent to inform the insurance company, in case the thieves cause damage to other property with your stolen vehicle.

#5: Inform the financing company. If there is still pending payables on a car loan, do inform them. You do not want to continue paying for a vehicle that’s missing.

#6: Check the Highway Patrol Group’s Facebook page. Each regional unit of the HPG posts the information of the vehicles recovered. Although the license plates may have been changed, you can check other information about the vehicles. If your vehicle is there, bring documents proving ownership when claiming the vehicle at HPG. While you’re at it, check online classified pages as thieves may try to dispose of stolen vehicles through there.

#7: Move on. Learn from the incident. Start thinking of replacements. Keep as little valuables in your car as possible. Always remember that a car can always be replaced. If someone tries to steal your car while you’re inside it, don’t resist. Your life is more valuable than any car.