NCJ Number
68620
Date Published
1978
Length
20 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE FOR POTENTIAL CAR BUYERS TELLS HOW TO AVOID BUYING A STOLEN CAR BY CHECKING VEHICLE OR ENGINE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS; COMMON METHODS OF CAR THEFT OPERATION ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
PERHAPS 200,000 STOLEN CARS ARE RESOLD EVERY YEAR TO UNSUSPECTING CAR DEALERS AND PRIVATE OWNERS. WHEN A STOLEN CAR IS LOCATED, IT IS TAKEN FROM ITS NEW OWNER AND RETURNED TO ITS ORIGINAL OWNER, SINCE THE LAW DOES NOT RECOGNIZE TITLES TO STOLEN PROPERTY. POTENTIAL CAR BUYERS ARE THUS ADVISED TO CHECK USED CARS BEFORE THEY BUY THEM. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN) IS STAMPED ON A SMALL PLATE FIXED TO THE DASH BOARD ON AMERICAN CARS. THIS NUMBER, WHICH IS REGISTERED WITH DEPARTMENTS OF MOTOR VEHICLES, CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE CAR, SUCH AS ITS ASSEMBLY PLANT, PRODUCTION NUMBER YEAR, MAKE, AND MANUFACTURER. A CAR WITH AN ALTERED VIN PLATE SHOULD BE FURTHER CHECKED. THE VIN ON THE DASHBOARD MAY BE COMPARED WITH THAT APPEARING ON THE FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS LABEL AFFIXED TO ALL POST-1970 CARS; IN ADDITION, ENGINE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS (EID) MAY BE RESEARCHED. ALTHOUGH EID'S IN ALL AMERICAN CARS BUT AMERICAN MOTOR'S CARS CONTAIN THE LAST SIX DIGITS OF THE VIN, THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO FIND. A LIST OF VIN AND EIN LOCATIONS FOR POPULAR JAPANESE AND EUROPEAN CARS IS PROVIDED. ILLUSTRATIONS SHOW HOW TO FIND EID'S IN DIFFERENT AMERICAN CARS AND ENGINES. METHODS OF OPERATION OF CAR THIEVES INCLUDE SELLING CARS UNDER COUNTERFEIT TITLES, ALTERING VIN'S, TRANSFERRING VIN'S AND TITLES FROM WRECKED CARS BOUGHT FROM INSURANCE COMPANIES TO LIKE-MODEL STOLEN CARS, AND TRAFFICKING IN STOLEN FOREIGN CARS. CHARTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS ARE INCLUDED.