If you find your car window smashed in Tempe and a person is still near the vehicle, you see a weapon or you feel unsafe, move away and call 911. Once there is no immediate threat, report the break-in to ASU Police if the vehicle is on university property; an off-campus incident in Tempe generally goes to Tempe Police.
Do not start by sweeping the seat or pulling loose glass from the frame. Photograph the car and the parking area first, then keep the report number with those images.
A moving door pane and a small fixed side pane are different parts. Bang AutoGlass provides Mobile Auto Glass service across Tempe at a safe parking location, and the vehicle details below help us identify the correct glass before the appointment.
Car Window Smashed in Tempe: Is It a 911 Call?
If anyone remains close to the car, do not confront, follow or photograph that person at close range. Put distance between yourself and the vehicle, move to a populated location and call 911.
That first call lets dispatch assess the active threat and tell you how to proceed.
Give the dispatcher the street address or garage name, level, row and nearest entrance. Describe the vehicle and say if the incident is on the ASU Tempe campus. Follow the dispatcher's instructions about approaching or moving the car.
Before touching a door handle, look through the remaining glass for sharp pieces, a damaged ignition or objects left behind by the person who entered. Do not test the lock, move disturbed property or reach for registration papers until dispatch says you may approach. If you already moved the car for safety, record its original space and the new location.
A broken car window in Tempe can leave sharp fragments across the seat, floor, door pocket and belt buckle. Keep children and pets away from the opening, and do not reach through jagged glass. If the incident has clearly ended and no one is in danger, use the appropriate police agency's non-emergency channel.
Parked on the ASU Tempe Campus? Contact ASU Police
Who Do I Call for a Car Break-In at ASU?
For a vehicle parked on the ASU Tempe campus, contact ASU Police. Callers with an on-campus law-enforcement emergency should dial 911 and give their location so the call can be directed to ASU Police dispatch.
Use the ASU Police non-emergency number when there is no immediate danger. Do not assume that a report made to parking staff or building security replaces the police report.
For an ASU parking garage car break-in, state the structure name exactly as it appears on the entrance, followed by the level, row or space number and nearest stairwell or elevator.
Keep the ASU report number with your photos, property list and insurance information.
Parked Off Campus in Tempe? Contact Tempe Police
A Tempe car break-in at an apartment, shopping center, workplace or city street off university property is generally a Tempe Police matter. If the incident is over and no one is in danger, use Tempe Police's non-emergency channel.
If a car window was smashed in Tempe but you cannot tell if the parking space is on ASU property, give the dispatcher the exact street address and property name. Ask which agency should take the report rather than guessing based on the closest campus building.
Tell an apartment manager, employer or shopping-center security office about any visible cameras and ask that relevant footage be preserved. Record the camera's location and the time range, but do not delay the police report or leave the car exposed while waiting for someone to review video.
If Tempe Police has not issued a car break-in report number yet, note the agency contacted, the date and the status dispatch gave you.
Show the Parking Space Before You Zoom In on the Glass
Start with wide photos that establish where the vehicle was parked, then take close images that show the broken pane, remaining glass and damage to the door or interior.
- The complete vehicle, license plate and marked parking space.
- The damaged door from outside and inside, including the handle, lock and trim.
- Glass on the seat, floor, center console, door pocket and pavement.
- Scratches, pry marks, bent trim or damage around the window opening.
- The glove compartment, console and storage areas if they were disturbed.
- Other damaged parts, including the ignition area, dashboard or another pane.
- Nearby signs, level markers, entrances and any visible security cameras.
Make a separate list of missing property with identifying details such as brand, model and serial number. It also helps to keep photos of what is stored in the vehicle, so save any earlier images or receipts that identify stolen items.
Create one timeline while details are fresh: when you parked, when you returned, when you called police and when the vehicle was moved. Keep the original images rather than editing or cropping them. Photograph any property left behind before placing it in another container, and save screenshots of parking receipts or access records that establish the time and location. Give police and your insurance company the copies each requests while keeping your own set.
Follow the reporting agency's directions about when cleanup can begin. Wear closed shoes and protective gloves, lift larger pieces with stiff cardboard and keep bare hands out of the door cavity. For short-term covering steps that avoid trapping more debris inside, use our guide to protecting a broken car window until service.
