Losing your car keys or worse, having them stolen, can be one of your worst nightmares. Naturally, it’s entirely understandable to enter into panic mode when this happens. But if a professional locksmith company comes to your rescue, the problem can be solved fast and cheaply.
Say the car key experts at Car Keys Pro, losing your set of car keys due to misplacement or robbery, is not only a very stressful situation, it is also all too common. Add to that a “smart key” that fails to function properly when you go to start your car, and you need to find a locksmith that you can trust and who can rescue you on a 24/7 basis.
In a recent report by The Signal, a lost or stolen car key scenario can only get worse when you carry your home keys on the same key ring. This is when you go from panicked to positively apoplectic. This is why it’s advisable to never carry your car keys and your home keys on the same key ring. However, you should always make sure you are storing your keys safely in a pocket, or a bag, or a carabiner attached to your belt loop.
In a word, your keys should always be somehow attached to your body, and not placed on a table, a counter, or a bar. Car theft is said to be on the rise all over the country. The Coronavirus lockdown mandates haven’t helped much, since delivery professionals have been losing their cars during a quick, several minute store and/or delivery drop.
That said, if your keys have been stolen, here are some tips on how you should proceed:
Make a Search of the Immediate Area
First of all, take a deep breath and try to calm yourself down. Then, begin to make a search of the area where you believe the keys were stolen. The search should not take more than a couple of minutes at most, since you don’t want to give the thief the time he or she needs to fully execute his or her plan.
If you’re at a restaurant, you might have set the keys out on the table while you went to the bathroom. If you’re on vacation and/or road trip, maybe you left your keys on your beach towel. If you’re at a crowded bar, maybe you set them on the bar-top. These are all bad mistakes too many good people make.
Being vigilant about where you store your keys is unfortunately not an attribute among those of you who have never lost your keys. Many people will also absentmindedly lock their keys inside their vehicle, even when it’s running, because they fail to practice some very basic precautionary measures.
Many times, people lose their keys not because they are stolen but because they set them down in an unusual place. Therefore, you should make it a routine habit to store your keys in a place where you know you can find them.
You Need to Secure Your Car
With technology improving all the time, thieves in the 21st century are seeking out ways to adapt to the new tech. The old days of starting a car by hotwiring it are long gone. These days, stealing a car key is said to be the most relied on means of pilfering a vehicle.
If your car keys are gone, and you are sure they were stolen, you need to secure your car from possible intrusion. If you’re lucky enough to have a spare key on you, use it to move the vehicle to a secure location. But if you don’t have your spare key and have no way of getting at it, you need to call a break-down service to have your vehicle towed to a safe location. It’s going to cost you, but in the end, it will be worth it.
You can also utilize modern technological features to secure a vehicle that could be potentially stolen. When you realize your keys are gone, one option is to contact your service provider who can secure your car by remote control.
Time to Call the Police
Once you are satisfied that your vehicle is secure, call the police. Make certain to relay to them the details of how your keys were stolen and when. Don’t hold back on any relevant detail no matter how slight. If you can provide a description of the suspects, no matter how vague, do it.
It’s also important to remember that your auto insurer will require you to involve law enforcement in order to receive compensation for your claim, should you file one. If you happen to find your keys, immediately update the police regarding the change in circumstances.
Call Your Insurance Company
It’s highly possible your insurance company will require you to immediately contact them as soon as your keys are stolen. If you are late on contacting them, and your vehicle goes missing, it’s possible your claim for compensation will be denied.
If you’ve lost your home keys along with your car keys, the auto insurance will only cover the car key loss and/or vehicle loss. Home insurance will mostly likely cover the loss of your home keys, especially if your home is violated.
Leave a Reply