Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get started?
To search the Stolen Car database, just click on the Search button and enter either a Registration number or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), if any matches are found, they will be listed and you will also have the opportunity to send a message to the owner. We encourage you to help the owner by sending details about the whereabouts of the vehicle or by contacting the police directly.
To enter your own vehicle(s) into the database, you must first create an account. This is free and very simple. Click 'Add a Car' and when the sign-in screen appears, click on 'create an account'. Follow the instructions and once your account is created, you will be able to sign-in with your password from then on. You can add vehicles to the database by clicking add a car while logged in. Simply fill in the form and follow the on-screen instructions. All vehicles that you enter will remain live on the web site for up to 6 months. If you have not heard anything for this amount of time, you can re-enter the car again for another 6 months and so on..
To check your account, click my account, you will be asked your sign-in details if you are not already signed in. The account page will allow you to change your options, including whether you wish your telephone and/or e-mail address be visible to other users when searching. You will also be able to manage the vehicles you have on the database, you can set them recovered if you vehicle is found, and delete them if needed. You can also manage your internal messages. Our system allows other users to send a message to you if they have searched and come across your stolen car(s). This is useful if you have opted not to show your e-mail and telephone number.
What is a Registration Number?
All cars in the UK must be registered. Each vehicle is issued with a V5 document which outlines the person who is responsible for keeping the vehicle on the road, but not necessarily the legal owner. The document also shows the registration number of the vehicle which is the number on the plates that are in clear view on the front and rear of all UK vehicles. The front plate is usually white and the rear yellow with the exception of some older/classic vehicles.
A registration number (reg plate) that starts with 'Q' identifies a vehicle where it's age or identity is not known. This could mean that the vehicle has been imported where the age is not known or a car built from some or all old parts.
The registration plates on the car should both match the one on the V5 document. If the vehicle does not have a V5 document, the registration plates do not match or the owner refuses you to see a V5 document of the car you could be purchasing, walk away.
Some owners have the registration number etched into the glass of the vehicle. Check for these on every window and ensure that they all match the registration number on the registration plates and on the V5 document.
A VIN number is the Vehicle Identification Number. Each vehicle has a set plates attached at various points with the VIN number stamped into the plate.
How do I find the VIN number of a car?
A VIN plate can usually be found in the engine compartment of the vehicle and on a plastic plate, visible through the windscreen.
When you have found the VIN Plate, check to see if it has been tampered with in anyway.
- Are the rivets holding the plate in place intact?
- Does the plate look like it is the original?
I cannot find the vehicle on the database, does this mean it's not stolen?
Not necessarily. We rely on the owner who's vehicle has been stolen to enter it's details into our database. Not everyone knows about our web site, or are connected to the internet. We also remove cars after 6 months to protect against cars that may be recovered but the owner has failed to tell us. It is a good idea in the case that the car has not been found here, to do other checks with other organisations, these may cost. Our web site is the first port of call as it's cheap to search and publicly driven!
Which is best to search by, Registration Number (Reg Plate) or VIN Number?
VIN Number, if you have it is probably the best option, though registration is probably more likely to be in the database. It is always best to search for both by entering them both together on the search page. Our search engine will return matches for both. It may even shown up two entries for seperate cars if for instance the VIN number has been tampered with on one car and duplicated on another.
The engine number is the unique identification of the engine, the number will be stamped on a plate attached to the engine block, you may need to clean away some dirt to find it. The plate number should match the engine number printed inside the owners manual or maintenance record book.
My sign-in doesn't work and I'm using Internet Explorer 6.
It is likely that your browser COOKIE settings need to be changed, try the following. You can configure your privacy settings in Internet Explorer 6 by clicking Internet Options on the Tools menu, and then clicking the Privacy tab. The Privacy settings slider has six settings: Block All Cookies , High , Medium High , Medium (default level), Low , and Accept All Cookies . Drag the slider to Accept All Cookies and accept the changes. You should now be able to sign-in.
