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[Nickbat]

This seems reasonable to me:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8234995.stm

Any thoughts?

[Turk]

Something needs to be done for sure 

[Vamps]

Only glanced an the article.  However car cloning is very easy, particularly with older/classic cars, I have seen car log books/ identities sold on ebay so all you need to do is acquire a similar vehicle and change the plates and numbers.  With classic cars I have often wondered how easy it is to do.  You can even buy a wreck, acquire a better version and change identities.  Even easier with the likes of MG or Mini's where you can buy new body shells.

[KillerWatt]

Cloning (or ringing as it was called in my day) isn't just about changing the engine & chassis numbers if you are doing the job properly.
Just about everything (interior, wiring loom, glass, etc) all end up relating back to the car in some small way. I will concede however that once the engine & chassis numbers are gone, then any further evidence (such as the wiring loom) becomes purely circumstantial.

[Kevin Wood]

Agreed. Remember that the VIN is also coded into several ECUs on an Omega, let alone later cars.

There are valid reasons for swapping an ECU, of course, but it's all grist to the mill.

Who is going to pay for every 2nd hand car to be inspected whenever it changes hands though?

And heaven help us if it becomes the responsibility of the DVLA or VOSA.

Kevin

[KillerWatt]

Who is going to pay for every 2nd hand car to be inspected whenever it changes hands though?

I was thinking that.
If we went the same way as France (as suggested in the story), then I'm afraid that would not eliminate the problem in the slightest because the car itself is not actually checked (just the car paperwork & ID of the buyer & seller are checked).

[Kevin Wood]

I know plenty of people who have have been through the DVLA "vehicle identity check" farce when registering kit cars and in all occasions they've gone to great lengths and not inconsiderable expense to present the car (not registered, so has to be trailered, etc...) only to have some jobsworth desk jockey who doesn't know one end of a car from the other check the VIN plate and nothing else.

I think Det Ch Insp Hooper would be better advised to knuckle down and focus on stopping the cars getting nicked to order in the first place. 

Why does fighting crime these always days have to mean making life harder for the law abiding folk?

Kevin

[KillerWatt]

Why does fighting crime these always days have to mean making life harder for the law abiding folk?

Because when we forget another pointless bit of legislation (eg, SORN), the resultant stealth tax fines make the government a nice tidy sum.

[STMO999]

Pretty nifty logging in/out there KW

[KillerWatt]

Pretty nifty logging in/out there KW

Yup, you gotta be quick to catch me 

[Kevin Wood]

Pretty nifty logging in/out there KW

Yup, you gotta be quick to catch me 

.. and me.

Kevin

[Varche]

Some level of beauracratic involvement at point of sale/purchase might help and is probably inevitable. That is what happens in Spain and both parties hand over a sizeable amount of dosh to the government at the same time as a transfer tax.

Having been to places like Cyprus it wouldn't be hard for "International Police" to find UK stolen cars. I don't think there is the appetite for it. Another example of the everyday Joe getting lamped for the actions of criminals because the authorities don't do their job properly. For example all points of exit including containers could have vehicles checked.

I wonder if in the French system if the car in question already exists elsewhere on the database, do they then ask the vendor some hard questions? It would be hoped so.

Also wouldn't it be useful to see figures published of % per capita of cars stolen/ringed/never recovered etc for every EU country?

V

[STMO999]

Some level of beauracratic involvement at point of sale/purchase might help and is probably inevitable. That is what happens in Spain and both parties hand over a sizeable amount of dosh to the government at the same time as a transfer tax.

Having been to places like Cyprus it wouldn't be hard for "International Police" to find UK stolen cars. I don't think there is the appetite for it. Another example of the everyday Joe getting lamped for the actions of criminals because the authorities don't do their job properly. For example all points of exit including containers could have vehicles checked.

I wonder if in the French system if the car in question already exists elsewhere on the database, do they then ask the vendor some hard questions? It would be hoped so.

Also wouldn't it be useful to see figures published of % per capita of cars stolen/ringed/never recovered etc for every EU country?

V

Of course there isn't, much bigger fish to fry.

Insurance companies aren't bothered that much either, they factor in how much they will have to pay out and put it on our premiums. It's called risk management.

[Kevin Wood]

Some level of beauracratic involvement at point of sale/purchase might help and is probably inevitable. That is what happens in Spain and both parties hand over a sizeable amount of dosh to the government at the same time as a transfer tax.

Having been to places like Cyprus it wouldn't be hard for "International Police" to find UK stolen cars. I don't think there is the appetite for it. Another example of the everyday Joe getting lamped for the actions of criminals because the authorities don't do their job properly. For example all points of exit including containers could have vehicles checked.

I wonder if in the French system if the car in question already exists elsewhere on the database, do they then ask the vendor some hard questions? It would be hoped so.

Also wouldn't it be useful to see figures published of % per capita of cars stolen/ringed/never recovered etc for every EU country?

V

Oh, FFS I hope nobody tells Gordon about that.

Kevin

[Dishevelled Den]

This seems reasonable to me:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8234995.stm

Any thoughts?

This path has been negoitated before - the following report is long but worth reading


http://www.popcenter.org/library/crimeprevention/volume_18/06-LaycockWebb-UKvehicle.pdf