Living Abroad - What to Do if Your Car is Broken Into In Mexico

Mexico is a beautiful country with a rich culture and history. It is also a popular destination for expats and tourists. Something to keep in mind is just like any other country, Mexico has its share of crime. One of the most common crimes is car break-ins.

Most crimes like this are known as a crime of opportunity. Keep this at the fore-front when traveling abroad, preventing this opportunity is easy, fixing it less so.

Black SUV with broken rear window in parking lot. Glass shards on ground. Background shows store with "Vivero y Jardinería" sign.

If you are living abroad in Mexico, it is important to be aware of the risk of car break-ins. First and foremost, be sure to have insurance. This is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself financially in the event of a car break-in. Make sure your insurance policy covers theft and vandalism as paying out of pocket for the OEM window on a car that is more German than American can add up.

What to Do if Your Car is Broken Into In Mexico

Here are some tips on what to do if you experience this crime in Mexico:

1. Don’t Move Your Vehicle. Typically this goes for auto accidents and break-ins etc. This is so the scene can be evaluated as is. (In the USA it is typical to see signs along the highway stating to move if all parties are good to the shoulder but this is not so for Mexico even in intense traffic).

2. Take photos of the damage and make a list of what is missing. This will help you when you file your insurance claim. Be sure to take photos of both the exterior and interior of your car, as well as any personal belongings that were damaged or stolen.

3. Report the break-in to the police. This is important even if you do not have insurance. The police will need to file a report in order for you to file a claim with your insurance company.

4. See if the local store or others nearby have cameras or security. If there is a store or business nearby, ask if they have any security cameras that may have captured footage of the break-in. This footage can be helpful in identifying the thief.

5. Call your insurance company. Once you have filed a police report, you need to call your insurance company to file a claim. They will typically send an insurance claim person to your location so you may have to wait. Be prepared to provide the following information:

Your name and contact information

The date and time of the break-in

The location of the break-in

A description of the damage to your car

A list of the items that were stolen

The police report

Photos

6. Take steps to prevent future break-ins. There are a few things you can do to make your car less likely to be broken into:

Park in a well-lit area

Lock your doors and windows

Do not leave valuables in your car / hide them

Broken rear window of a black car showing shattered glass around the edges. Interior of car is partially visible. Sunlight creates a glare adding to the ambience.

By following these tips, you can help reduce the risk of your car being broken into in Mexico. It is important to remember that even if you take all the necessary precautions, there is still a chance that your car could be broken into. If this happens, it is important to know what to do so that you can protect yourself financially and emotionally.

Don’t Be Scared Just Be Prepared

Anything is worth stealing to the right person. This means those pesos in change you have might be something you just leave around. Which could signal to the right person that there is more that has been left.

How Our Car Was Broken Into and What Was Stolen

Our Story: We were at the Home Depot in Rosarito. “Little America” as it’s been dubbed since there is a Walmart with a shopping complex starring an Applebee's and cinema. There is even a “guard” at the Home Depot, but if I’m honest he is either on it or doesn’t care. I say this because we know several people who have been broken into at the same location. We didn’t find this out though until after it happened.

Broken car window in a parking lot in Mexico, with shattered glass on the ground. Several parked cars and trees are visible in the background.

We are having a great time, getting some quesadillas and feeling the sun. It’s been chilly lately, and we have our jackets but the suns been out all day. It starts feeling warm in the low afternoon so we shed them into the backseat. I wanted to go to Home Depot to get little planters to try and some succulent, vine having things. We are giggling, we are having a really nice time. I throw my purse into the backseat and say to myself it's just got some chap-stick in it.

Looking back I realize now that a thief wouldn’t know that. My husband always says to lock stuff in the trunk but I tell him on this day, don’t worry about it, it’s Home Depot and we are gonna be quick. Well, in 15 minutes time the smiles drop from our faces and the stress begins. It’s a gut wrenching feeling when you have been robbed. A weird violation that’s bizarre because you wouldn’t do this so why did it happen to you.

But it really is more simple than that. And we all know what they say about “when opportunity knocks’.

Due to the fact that there is sometimes a little “carnival” next to the Home Depot there are some transient style folk about which could also be part of the equation. As far as what was stolen, fortunately the purse that was in the backseat just had unnecessary items in it. The purse was a gift though and that makes me sad as it was probably discarded. The jackets, well they were our favorite jackets but we’re only $30 each at Target. The funny part is that the scarf that they left was a gift from All Saints, and was like $180 but what does that mean to someone who needs cash.

Shattered glass, clothes, and a scarf on a brown car seat suggest a break-in. Dark and light fabrics contrast with scattered green shards.

The worst part is that I try to tell myself that I hope they were cold, and really needed those jackets. Maybe they gifted that purse to their partner or friend. That those things did get used. But more than likely the pockets were rifled through and they were discarded on the roadside.

Living abroad is an exciting and rewarding experience but it is important to be realistic about the risks. Someone everywhere will always take a smile as a mark that you are an easy target.

Be Prepared on Your Trip to Mexico

Let’s recap on the key points so you can be prepared before traveling to and what to do if your car gets broken into in Mexico:

1. Car break-ins are a common crime in Mexico.

2. It is important to have insurance in case your car is broken into.

3. Report the break-in to the police.

4. Check if any nearby stores have security cameras.

5. Call your insurance company to file a claim.

6. Take steps to prevent future break-ins, such as parking in a well-lit area and locking your doors and windows.

7. Do not leave any valuables in your car or visible.

8. Even if you take all the necessary precautions, there is still a chance that your car could be broken into.

9. If this happens, it is important to know what to do so that you can protect yourself financially and emotionally.

10. Most crimes are crimes of opportunity, prevent this by taking certain precautions and always be prepared.

Also, keep in mind, you can get your car repaired in the USA or Mexico. We ordered our window replacement from a Volkswagen dealership in southern California and had it installed there. We did look at the recommended places that were sent by the insurance company but not only was it “off brand” for the window, it was the wrong color. Our color has a green tint to it and not black or blue.

A final note, this glass was being found for a long time even after repeated vacuuming's.