Reporting stolen vehicles

Every day, cars are stolen from their owners, which can be a stressful experience. Sometimes, a vehicle may be stolen because of carelessness on the part of the owner, for example, by leaving it unlocked or unattended in public places.

If your vehicle is stolen, you should report this to the Gardaí immediately and call your insurance company. You can find the location of your nearest Garda Station on Garda.ie.

Vehicles reported as stolen are entered into a central database that all Garda stations in Ireland can access.

If possible, try to have this information available when reporting a stolen car:

• Your driver's licence details
• Address of where the theft took place
• Licence plate number, make, model and colour of your car
• A photograph of your car, if you have one
• Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC) details and VIN number (sometimes called chassis number - can be found on the VRC/logbook, on the dashboard or the driver’s side door)

Stolen vehicles are sometimes recovered and brought to a storage recovery facility. You may have to collect it from here.

Call your insurance company

Your insurance company will tell you how to make an insurance claim when you contact them.

They may ask you for:

• An incident reference number given to you by the Gardaí.
• The location of all your car keys.
• A list of personal property or belongings that you may have had in the car.

You should get an insurance reference number when you report the theft. Check if your insurance includes a replacement car while you are without a car.

It's important to be aware of the potential risks when you leave your vehicle unattended (for even a few moments) in a public place. It's also important to be mindful of parking, particularly when you park in daylight but return much later in the dark.

These are some general safety tips and ways to prevent your car from being stolen:

• Park in a well-lit area if possible
• Make sure your car is locked and your car alarm is switched on, or use a steering lock
• Do not leave valuables inside the car
• Never leave your car running and unattended
• Store your keys safely, away from windows and letterboxes in your home

If your keys were stolen with the car, were your house keys attached? If so, you should change the locks to your house straight away.

If you have a car loan, you should let the lending company know that the car has been stolen.

If you are buying a secondhand car and want to know what to check beforehand, read our page about buying a used car.