UK Stolen Cars - Editors Blog

Avoid Stolen Cloned Cars - Buyers Guide

February 2010

One crime that has risen in the last few years, which effects any vehicles from cars to vans, is cloned vehicles. This crime dupes the buyer into purchasing a second hand stolen car by changing it's identification to another vehicle of the same make, model, year and even the same colour. Sometimes these vehicles can lay undiscovered for even a couple of years. The unfortunete buyer then becomes the victim when the Police finally discover the real identity and the buyer looses all right to the vehicle and their money.

Here are a few tips when buying a vehicle to protect you from buying a cloned vehicle:

  • Check the registration plate against a HPI database. Ensure ALL details match, including colour, make, model and even what varient of the model. If the seller claims the colour has been changed, check the VIN plate, the original colour will be on the plate.
  • Check the VIN Plate and VIN numbers. This identifies the vehicle by it's chassis number. Ensure the plate is in good condition and securely attached to the chassis. If it's peeling away or appears damaged, or if the lettering appears over stamped, mis-spaced or out of line, there may be a problem. Ensure the chassis number matches a HPI check along with the registration plate. The VIN number appears in a number of places around the car. Some popular places include under the front bonet, through a gap in the bottom of the wind screen, on the chassis behind the drivers seat, along the chassis behind the rear wheel.
  • Check the engine number. This is the most difficult to find and is usually stamped into the engine block, along the side, front or back. The position may require some research on the web but is worth while if you want to make absolutely sure. You may require a small mirror and a torch to help locate the number. Don't be afraid to ask the owner to allow you to do this. Any seller should be more than happy to allow you to check all details.
  • It is vital that the car has a log book and a registration certificate (V5 document). Ensure all details match exactly with the car.

Have you experienced cloning? Have you any tips to avoiding buying a cloned vehicle? Get in touch

Car Keys on the Kitchen Table

November 2009

Thieves are still breaking into houses to steal the keys of the car on your drive. Car security is now at such a high level of protection that the criminal is moving to greater lengths to take your car without consent. The argument now is whether to take your keys upstairs when you go to bed, or to leave them on the table, out of view of the window or the front door, but in a place that the criminal will see them to take them at ease so not to disturb you while you sleep and so that there is no altercation. A police officer recently informed us that generally a car thief will not move upstairs if they do not find the keys, but it does raise the question that if car crime once again becomes difficult because keys are being hidden that they may move to greater lengths.

This week we had yet another story from a visitor to our web site, Carlo. " I became a victim several nights ago, somebody levered open my front door, found my keys on the kitchen table and promptly made off with my car, I did not hear a thing, it was not until the next morning that I spotted the car was missing and so were my keys, the police explained how easy it is to lever open a UPVC door if it has not been locked with a key, I was shocked, I had no idea that they came in via the front door until it was pointed out to me by the police."

Leave your thoughts on the subject..

Car Keys Stolen From House

November 2007

The way car thieves remove your possession from the drive way is changing all the time. In the last few years we have seen the increase of 'keys and car' crime, breaking into the owners house, grabbing the keys off the kitchen table and taking your car, you only being aware when hearing the engine starting on the driveway or sometimes even the next day. Many drivers have been debating over whether to hide the keys, take them to the bedroom or just leaving them on the kitchen table.

Drivers worry that taking the keys to the bedroom at night could encourage the thieves to trek upstairs when they realise they are unable to find them, or that hiding the keys will only encourage thieves to pull the house apart looking for them. On the flip-side, some believe that the best course of action is to leave the keys on show so that they will take them without any further bother. The debate is still quite heated. In speaking with the Police it is thought that generally thieves are less likely to trek upstairs and certainly are not so likely to ransack the living room for fear of waking the occupants.

The debate continues. Leave your thoughts on the subject..