- When purchasing a used car, take a closer look.
- Does the VIN plate look like a factory install?
- Does the VIN on the dash match the VIN's under the hood
or on the door?
- Does the VIN match the VIN on the title?
Auto theft used to be the domain of teens who were looking for a joy
ride for the night.
Not so anymore.
- Auto theft has become a multi-billion dollar industry
perpetrated by organized groups for various reasons.
- Using the parts. (A car that you buy for $20, 000 off
the lot is instantly worth three times that amount if sold
part by part.)
- VIN switching to sell them (typically using a Vehicle
Identification Number from a wrecked car).
Shipping them in containers to various overseas countries to be sold
for high dollars. So few containers get checked going out-bound that
this is a VERY lucrative business.
Few, if any, cars are theft-proof.
Law enforcement is over-whelmed with this problem. If you think a
car is being stolen, contact law enforcement (don't try to stop a
thief yourself). Get a description of the perpetrator and the
license plate of the vehicle.