See a Plastic Bag on Your Car Mirror? Read This First

LOUISIANA - If you walk out to your car and find a plastic grocery bag hanging from your side mirror, your first thought might be something along the lines of, “OK... who did that?”

A random plastic bag attached to your car is definitely enough to get your attention. But before you start imagining some elaborate criminal scheme, there are a few things you should know.

Let's talk about what it could mean and why a plastic bag could randomly show up on your car's side mirror.

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Why Would Someone Put A Plastic Bag On A Car Mirror?

Finding a plastic bag on your car's side mirror doesn't necessarily mean something dangerous is going on, although it could, and we'll talk about that in a bit.

Believe it or not, covering a side mirror with a plastic bag can actually be a useful little car trick. One reason is to protect the mirror from the elements.

READ MORE: Most Commonly Stolen Items From Stores in Louisiana

A bag can help keep moisture, dirt and other debris off the mirror when a vehicle is parked outside. Some drivers also use bags to keep birds from repeatedly attacking their own reflection in the mirror.

We have a couple of Cardinals here at the station and everyday I find them attacking side mirrors in our parking lot.

Yep, birds can apparently get into arguments with cars, windows, really anything they can their reflection in.

Cardinal Bird

What If You Didn't Put The Bag There?

That's where you should pay a little more attention. If you know you didn't put the bag on your side mirror, don't immediately assume you know why it is there.

The safest thing to do is take a moment before jumping out of the car.

READ MORE: Louisiana's 10 Most Violent Cities in 2026

Lock your doors, look around the area and make sure everything appears normal. If you're in a parking lot, check your surroundings before getting out. You don't need to panic. You also don't need to ignore something unusual.

So, what people are talking about on the internet right now when it comes to plastic bags on car's side mirrors has to do with car theft.

From newsbreak.com -

The setup is simple. A thief places a plastic bag over one of the car's side mirrors, often the passenger-side mirror. Once the driver starts the car and pulls away, the obstruction becomes obvious. The partially blocked mirror creates a blind spot, prompting the driver to stop and remove it.

Once the driver gets out of the car to remove the bag, a thief waiting nearby can quickly steal any valuables left on the passenger seat or inside the center console, or in some cases if the car is still running, hop in and steal the vehicle.

Don't Leave Your Car Running While You Deal With It

If you ever find yourself in this situation, first take a look around and make sure your surroundings seem safe enough to exit your vehicle to remove the bag.

If you're just not sure and have a funny feeling out it, just leave the bag and drive to a safer place where you can deal with it, within reason. Obviously driving with your side mirror being obstructed is dangerous, but if we're talking about driving across a large parking lot where more people are, do so safely.

Also, very important, if you do get out of your car to remove the plastic bag, do not leave your car running while you do it.

plastic bag on car's side mirror

What Should You Do If You Find A Bag On Your Mirror?

There's no reason to panic just because you see a plastic bag.

Instead -

Look around before getting out of your vehicle.
Keep your doors locked.
Take your keys or key fob with you.
Move to a more populated or well-lit location if something feels wrong.
Remove the bag only when you're comfortable that it's safe to do so.