Buying a used car is always exciting, but if you get carried away, you may end up with a damaged or, even worse, a stolen car. Many people think spotting such vehicles would be easy, but they often appear clean and legitimate, making identifying them challenging.
So, how can you check if a car is stolen? Well, this article tells you everything you need to check if a vehicle has been reported as stolen. We’ll also look at how to avoid buying a stolen car and what to do if you suspect a vehicle is stolen.
Why Should You Check if a Car was Stolen?
Before purchasing a car, you should always check to see its legitimacy – particularly if it was stolen or has been stolen before. Buying a stolen automobile can have severe repercussions, both legally and financially – even if you’re not involved in the criminal act itself.
When the authorities recover the vehicle, the purchaser may also lose their investment without any compensation. On top of this, the buyer may still have to go through legal procedures for purchasing stolen property. That’s a rough situation you should definitely avoid at all costs.
Avoid Legal Consequences
Purchasing a stolen vehicle is a crime of its own. In most jurisdictions, this is considered illegal and you could just find yourself facing charges.
You could be charged with possession of stolen property, handling stolen goods, trafficking of stolen goods, or similar charges. These charges ultimately lead to fines, penalties, and, even worse, imprisonment.
Minimize Financial Risks
Another reason to check whether a car is stolen before purchasing is the financial risk involved. When you buy a stolen car, you risk losing the money you paid for it. Law enforcement can confiscate it at any time, and you may not be able to recover the money spent.
Aside from losing the vehicle and your money, you could also face more expenses on fines or legal representation to defend yourself in court.
However, if your car insurance covers the purchase of stolen vehicles, you might receive some compensation. Although it’s rare that a car bought from a dealership would be stolen, if it does happen, you would be entitled to a full refund under the Consumer Rights Act.
Possible Vehicle Recovery
When a stolen vehicle is discovered, the possibility of returning it to its original owner is very high. This means in the end you will be left without a vehicle or the money invested in it.
Avoid Insurance Difficulties
It is practically impossible for one to get coverage for a stolen vehicle. Car insurance companies are not willing to take such risks because of this; hence, their clients become exposed to financial problems in terms of accidents, damage, or theft situations.
Safety Concerns
Safety is another important factor to consider, as stolen vehicles may have been tampered with to avoid detection by the authorities. These vehicles may have altered VINs, missing or counterfeit parts, and other damages that may not have been disclosed by the seller.
Resale Problems
If you buy a stolen vehicle unknowingly and decide to put it up for sale, you may have a tough time selling it, and even if you do, it will be at an extremely low price. Attempting to sell it may even bring in some legal problems.
As you can see, making the mistake of buying a stolen vehicle comes with a lot of consequences. So, you must take time to do your due diligence and get a stolen car check.
How does a stolen car check protect you?
A stolen car check provides you with that guarantee you need during a car purchase—that you will only receive cars with totally legitimate backgrounds and records.
It will save you from potential fraud, legal complications, and financial risks. Don’t know how to check for stolen records? The next section explains it all in detail.
How to Check if a Car was Stolen
Now that you understand why you must check for theft records, it’s time to learn how. To verify if a vehicle has been stolen in the past, you just need to follow these steps:
Step 1: Use a vehicle history check
Start by accessing an online vehicle check service, such as Smart Car Check, to see if the vehicle has been reported stolen. These services have access to records from various databases, allowing you easy access to vehicle records.
With the registration number and our reg check tool, you can perform a comprehensive vehicle history check and get a complete history report including:
- Stolen vehicle checks
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off checks
- Vehicle registration records
- MOT history and due dates
- Car tax check
- Previous owners
- Mileage check, and more.
Having this information at your fingertips will definitely help you identify vehicles with stolen records or other hidden records. Just to give you an idea of what a history report looks like, you can check out this sample report.
Step 2: Inspect the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
In most stolen vehicles, after the license plate has been removed, the next target is the VIN. This is because the VIN identifies the vehicle and can be decoded with a VIN check tool to identify a stolen vehicle. The VIN on the vehicle’s body is then removed or altered.
VIN alteration can also make it easier to identify stolen vehicles if you look closely. If the VIN on the vehicle doesn’t correspond to the one on the logbook and other vehicle documents, you should suspect that you’re dealing with a stolen car.
If you don’t have the VIN or you can’t find it, you can find it here using this guide.
How to Find Your VIN Number from a Registration Plate
Step 3: Check the vehicle documents
A car owner or seller should have all vehicle documents and should be able to provide them. If they are missing, you should be suspicious; otherwise, look closely at the documents for any signs of alterations.
The original document of the logbook-style V5C registration document carries the DVLA watermark, so keep an eye out for that.Make sure the serial number is not between BG8229501 to BG9999030, or BI2305501 to BI2800000. If it is, the V5C might be stolen – call the police as soon as it’s safe to. If the seller has a stolen log book, there a big chance that the vehicle is also stolen.
Also, check the entered license plate number, vehicle color, and other details. Make sure data corresponds to the what you can see on the vehicle.
Step 4: Contact the police or DVLA
If you believe that the second-hand car you’re purchasing might be stolen, or if your search results are inconclusive, you should contact your local police or the DVLA. The mentioned authorities can assist further in the confirmation of the status of the vehicle.
Signs That a Car Might Be Stolen
Before an actual vehicle check and contacting the authorities, there are a few signs that can help you identify stolen vehicles in the used car market. They include:
Suspicious Price
If the price is abnormally low, this might be a great warning that the car is stolen. A stolen vehicle is often underpriced by its seller so that they could attain a fast sale and get away with it.
Incomplete/missing paperwork
All the paperwork should be complete, accurate, and include the V5C log book. Missing documentation may indicate that the car has been stolen.
Inconsistent vehicle details
Discrepancies in the vehicle’s registration number and VIN, among other details, can show that cloning or theft has taken place. Always check if the important details are correct before proceeding with the transaction.
If you find all of these signs, the deal is probably not worth it. Feel free to walk away and check out other dealerships and vehicles.
What To Do If You Suspect A Car Is Stolen
If you believe a car that you are buying, or have purchased, is stolen, do the following:
Confrontation with the Seller
You should first confront the seller with your suspicions about the status of the vehicle. Ask for further documentation or an explanation to alleviate your doubts.
Involvement of the Authorities
If you are still suspicious after having contacted the seller, then you should immediately call the police or contact the DVLA. They can confirm whether the car was really stolen or not and may advise accordingly on what to do next.
In most cases, if the car is indeed a stolen one, the police will request a few details about the car and provide you with a crime reference number.
How to Avoid Buying a Stolen Car
As a car buyer, with the trouble and risk that come with buying a stolen car, you must try to avoid them as much as possible. Some few tips to remember are:
- Check the V5C document and make sure the VIN matches the one on the vehicle.
- Use the number plate to get an online car check and a car history report to view stolen records.
- Inspect documents closely for discrepancies in ownership papers.
- Beware of low prices as unusually low prices may indicate a stolen car.
- Buy only from established dealerships or trusted individuals.
- Meet the seller at their home and not a pub car park or lay-by, and make sure you go to them and not the other way round.
- Request maintenance history to verify ownership before purchasing a used car.
- Have a trusted mechanic check the vehicle for tampering.
- If you’re buying from a private seller, confirm the seller is the registered owner.
If you want peace of mind, never buy a car without doing some checks. You just have to do your due diligence and stick to reputable sellers. With this, you can verify whether a car is stolen before purchasing or selling it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, checking the stolen status of a vehicle is an effective and efficient precautionary measure to save yourself from legal and financial problems. To avoid all the trouble that comes with stolen vehicles, make sure to get a full car history check with Smart Car Check and get a comprehensive vehicle history report. Keep your investments safe; check a used car today and avoid stolen vehicles.
