377 – Reporting a Stolen Car
Kenji: Hello, my car was stolen and I want to report it.
Officer: Where was it when it was stolen?
Kenji: It was parked outside of my apartment building. I went outside this morning to drive to work, and it was gone.
Officer: Okay, you need to fill out this form. Put down the make and model of the vehicle, the year, and the color. You’ll also need the license plate number. Do you know the vehicle’s VIN number?
Kenji: No, I don’t.
Officer: That’s okay. Just fill it out and we’ll launch an investigation.
Kenji: What do you think the chances are that I’ll recover my car?
Officer: That’s hard to say. If it was stolen by some kids who wanted to take a joyride, they’ll abandon it afterwards and you may get it back in one piece. If it was taken by professional car thieves, that’s a different story. They usually strip the cars of their parts and sell them to chop shops. You may not want your car back after it’s been stripped.
Kenji: I’ll just have to wish for the best.
Officer: We’ll notify you if we have some news.
Kenji: Thanks. In the meantime, I’d better get used to hoofing it around town!