How to Locate a Lost Car

by Robert Schrader

When your car is missing, you can feel like you've lost your arms or legs--particularly if you live in a city, town or region where public transportation is scarce. Locating your lost car promptly can be an essential part of restoring order to your life. The difficulty of finding your vehicle will vary greatly depending on the size of the city you live in, how long the car has been gone and how easy it is to distinguish your vehicle from other cars.

Step 1

File a "Lost Property" report with your local police department. Having the power and reach of the police force on your side can be a great comfort, especially if your car has been missing for a long time and you feel hopeless in your search. Additionally, filing appropriate paperwork will ensure that the police can take proper action if they learn that your car has been stolen rather than lost.

Step 2

Peruse the "Lost and Found" section of your local paper's classified ads, or search online classified sites such as Craigslist. Post your own ad and include as much information as possible, including your car's license plate number. The more information you provide, the more likely someone will be to spot your car. Search the "Found" section carefully: honest people will come forward to say that they've found missing items, but they may tire of searching for the rightful owner after a certain amount of time.

Step 3

Post fliers, particularly if you live in a location where people don't often use the Internet, or if you live in a small town. As is the case with online classifieds, provide as much information as you can about the car.

Step 4

Return to the last place you saw the car and ask people nearby if they've seen your vehicle. If you've filed a police report, this is something the police may do for you, although it never hurts to be thorough. Additionally, you may visit on the day that the one person who saw what happened to your car just happens to be around.

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