Caravan thefts in Rouen: trouble when your belongings are stolen from your vehicle

Maybe you’ve already faced this hurdle… You will the window of your car was broken, searched, the contents were stolen. That’s what we call it robbery. To whom Rouen and in the metropolis, they are daily.

Which sectors are most affected? How to protect yourself from these trailer thefts? What to do when you are a victim? Here’s everything you need to know.

Trailer theft is on the rise in Rouen

The latest crime figures have not yet been released, but according to a communication from the Department of Public Safety (DDSP), trailer thefts are “. It increases in 2022 compared to the previous year, but remains lower than 2019, the reference year before the Covid pandemic.

As for the numbers, we count on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs In 2016, there were 1,103 trailer theft incidents in Rouen. In 2019, this number was 2663.

At DDSP, we note that “these flights are more important during the winter months, in November and December. Longer nights are certainly more conducive to quick and discreet stealth.

These thefts rarely result in arrests, because it is carried out quickly and is not always immediately noticed by the victims. “For there to be an arrest, the planets must be well aligned, M^e Étienne Lejeune, lawyer specializing in traffic law. When they are caught, it is often because the thieves are caught red-handed or because they are already known to the police and have been tracked down. »

According to DDSP, these thefts are often committed by homeless youth.

Trailer theft targets

The statistics of the Ministry of Internal Affairs do not provide exact geographical information. What is certain is that trailer theft in Rowan “happens frequently downtown, right bank or left bank. We often see them on the boulevards”, according to the information provided by DDSP.

parked vehicles near night clubs it is also popular among thieves.

Criminals see people parking near nightclubs and leaving items or clothes in the trunk to avoid paying for the wardrobe.

How to prevent your car from being broken into?

DDSP offers some common sense tips to prevent trailer theft:

• lock your car properly and raise the windows, including during short stops,
• do not display valuables (bag, camera, phone, computer…),
• more generally, Do not leave objects visible “like coins or clothes” in the passenger compartment
• Do not keep important documents in his car,
• “Don’t treat your car as a safe. Even your belongings under the seat or in the trunk can be stolen during towing.”
• choose a car alarm systemthis will put potential thieves off.

What to do if you are a victim of trailer theft?

Despite these precautions, you have had the misfortune of being the victim of a theft in your vehicle. What to do? “You have to do it first Call 17, if a theft has just been committed, a patrol may be dispatched so that the culprits can be found,” advises the DDSP. “And of course, you should complain. You can file a complaint online in advance to save time. »

The DDSP also recommends “touching the vehicle as little as possible to allow technical and scientific police to investigate.”

How to return the money for the stolen?

Computers, valuables, phone, bag… Often these items stolen from cars can be expensive. But it is not easy should be compensated. “On December 23, a bag containing a computer, a branded belt, clothes, and a passport was stolen in Rouen. There is no compensation from my insurance,” says Karine on our Facebook page.

True, it often happens car insurance contracts do not cover theft of items inside the vehicle. “In general, this is optional in car contracts for individuals”, confirms Edouard Toupet, insurer of Allianz in Le Havre. “Amounts vary by insurer, but are not too expensive. But customers rarely subscribe to it. »

As a result, often insurance covers glass breakage, but not stolen items. But company cars are an exception. “There, it is definitely linked in the car contract or for the car park,” said Edouard Toupet.

Moreover, for the insurance to work, “need a serious crime and therefore theft. It doesn’t work if the doors are left open.” And ideally, it should be keep the bills products purchased to determine the compensation amount.

If the perpetrators are found, the victims can also receive compensation with justice. “In that case, you have to become a civil party and prepare an account of the material damage suffered,” explains lawyer Etienne Lejeune. “The problem we generally face is the problem of evidence. By definition, what you put in your car is not recorded by the bailiff, it remains declarative. »

As a DDSP and insurer, a lawyer has one key piece of advice: “Prevention is better than cure! »

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