I went out Friday morning and one of my vehicles, parked 10 feet behind my house, had the door open. I looked inside and noticed the glove box was open and my registration and insurance card were laying on the seat. I don't think they took anything as I believe that is all that was in there. I don't think I have to worry about them getting information from the paperwork since it seems like all the information could be obtained easily from other sources.

The vehicle was unlocked since I didn't think I'd need to lock it that close to my house and it is older, nothing fancy and with no battery. My daily driver was also out there, but it was locked and they didn't mess with it. I guess I'll have to lock everything around here.

If one wanted to steal your car by fraudulently hiring a Tow truck, having that info would facilitate the hiring of a legit Company to tow it to a site/garage/warehouse they could then re transport it themselves elsewhere.
Chances are there is little to worry about, but I would be extra vigilant none the less.

Yes, it's probably useless but I'd report the incident to the police. If this wasn't an isolated instance they can 'connect the dots' and possibly find the perpetrator.

Don't hold your breath on that one. This happened to my neighbor several years ago, they got his gun. Cops still haven't connected any dots.

If they bother to come out and if they bother to do any paperwork that will be all that happens.

Just looking for money for drugs most likely, and tossed things out of they way. And registrations and proof of insurance don't have any personal information that could really be used by a thief that they can't find on Google all day long. And if they were even going to try they'd have taken the paper with them. You could call your insurance agent and just tell them not to open any new policies for a month but I don't think that's even necessary.

I would as well, even though you didn't get anything stolen (that you know of). If for no other reason to let your local law enforcement that it's going on. You're not likely to be the only victim.

I feel your pain.

Someone broke into my truck Friday nite.

Didn't steal anything..just rambled thru the glovebox and console.

You live in Des Moines and ask if you should be worried?? I think the answer to that is a huge YESS!

II didn't know Des Moines had a problem 😲.
Ours got the treatment about 20 years ago and they snagged a few things of little cost. Likely just kids or druggies looking for a score. I'm in an isolated with little crime but it can happen anywhere.
about 5 years before that they broke into my lower bldg. and snagged some tools and screwed a car up a bit. they got in throught the back door. That won't happen again with the reinforcement that took place.
Alarm system installed and been fine since. one or two of the neighbors got hit about the same time. they left easily sold Items like brand new chainsaw's but took piddly 💩
Kids.
No further issues (knock on wood)

Definitely report it. I had an alert somebody tried my truck and I slept through the horn going off. I heard a neighbor a few doors down had their garage broken into that night as well. Cops added patrols to our neighborhood because of it.

Yours is a lot worse than mine. I had no physical damage.

For those saying to file a Police report, I had a broken window several years ago and did file a report. They basically told me there is nothing they can do unless I had video. They will do nothing for a person entering an unlocked vehicle and taking nothing. To them, there may not have even been a crime committed.

Des Moines doesn't have a real crime problem, but just isolated incidents. To someone living in a rural area or small town it might seem like a problem area, but to anyone from a bigger area it would be nothing. From my viewpoint, Ft. Dodge is a lot worse than Des Moines, but I don't live there. I hear about all the shootings there in a city of 25,000 and think it must be a cesspool of crime. Someone living there might not encounter any crime, especially if it is gang related. Crime can happen anywhere, and until you are affected, you might feel perfectly safe and probably not even think about it.

Any of my vehicles that sit outside at night are left unlocked so the windows don't get busted out. There's nothing in any of the 3 worth stealing except maybe a years out of date Garmin that lives in the armrest of the Dakota. They'd best not let me hear them. The first 2 shells in the Mossberg are loaded with rock salt!

[/b]Des Moines doesn't have a real crime problem, but just isolated incidents.[[b]

If citizens do not file police reports, crime rates are under reported. Remaining silent only helps the criminals, and the politicians who protect them.

I had a similar thing happen to my car several years ago.

Kids in the neighborhood would wander around, checking for unlocked cars then riffle through the glove box, console etc. They would take guns, money or anything of value but had no interest in information. They usually just toss the papers in their way on the floor of the car.

It's pretty common nowadays.

Chances are if you check with your neighbors or the police you will find it happened to lots of people near you.

I got wind about the kid who did it on my street. Before I saw him again, he got arrested for a coupe other 2bit crimes and disappeared for good.

I leave nothing of value in my car but a little change in the ashtray and nothing is left unlocked.

Hope your situation is the same and nothing to worry about.

I had a Honda once that broke down near an interstate. I left the doors unlocked so nobody would break out the window. Moron still broke out the window to steal the broken stereo.

Stupid and too lazy to get a real job seem to go hand in hand.

Earlier this summer my son's mother in law was babysitting at their house while they were out shopping. Her car was parked in the driveway in front of the house in a decent neighborhood. 2 guys with ski masks were seen walking down the block checking every car door to see if anything was unlocked. Hers was unlocked and they rifled through the glove box and tossed some stuff on the back seat around. Then headed across the street into a garage with an open roll up door. That owner confronted them and they took off. The police were called. They did send a squad car and did acknowledge they knew of a 'ring' of people combing the neighborhoods looking for easy stuff to steal. Nothing came of any of it.

I live out in the country. Somewhere about the same time I had my 2013 RAM parked out behind the barn to get it out of the way. Walked out to it a couple days later and found the driver's door open, console lid up and someone had apparently gone through the cab. I was a bit upset. Called the sheriff. It turned out they'd been looking for someone who'd been found burglarizing an area home and had taken off on foot through the woods to get away. There were sheriff's all over the place looking for the guy. A sheriff had actually gone through my truck thinking the crook may have parked it there to conceal it. Once they found the registration in the cab and realized it belonged there they left it. This had all happened while we were not at home. Didn't get a good answer on why they'd left the door open..

Such experiences do give one pause. I sure am more careful about locking things up now. I also rearranged some things to make sure I have easier access to a 12 GA, while keeping it concealed and locked up.

Installed a Ring camera on the house over the summer and I get alerts regarding break ins. It is nuts the amount of vehicles that are busted into around here. I'm way up in the burbs too.