Thieves are skilled in changing common identification marks - SBD's latest report reveals the best method of vehicle identification to improve the chances of recovery after theft.
Some vehicles are stolen for use in a further crime, some stolen for their spare parts, but a large proportion are stolen to be resold.; either sold within the same country, or shipped overseas as part of wider Organised Crime Group (OCG) activity. When a vehicle is stolen to be resold, the criminals need to change the vehicle identification if they are to avoid being traced or caught handling a stolen vehicle. This means fooling any second hand buyer of the vehicle, and potentially police investigators, into believing that all the identification is genuine. Thieves have therefore built up a large awareness and skill level in changing the common identification marks such as the VIN plate, chassis stamp or additional VIN labels that are required by legislation.
Insurance companies provide some market drive for alternative identification through the offer of insurance premium discounts for approved marking systems. National governments also investigate alternatives such as microdots for new legislation, but these schemes rarely reach the market due to the cost implications. The pressure is therefore on vehicle manufacturers to provide improved identification on new vehicles, but this comes at huge cost to the manufacturer, and it’s the manufacturer that gains least from the benefits—no vehicle is sold to a customer on the strength of its identification markings.
Overview of Vehicle ID criteria across major markets
Manufacturers, and thieves, also know that not all forms of identification will be checked in any investigation—especially where covert markings may be difficult to reach or require significant time and specialist equipment to read. If the markings aren’t checked then they give no benefit to the police, insurers, vehicle manufacturers or vehicle owners. Police expertise is falling as a result of stolen vehicle investigation units being closed down around the world and thieves know they only need to make basic identification changes to avoid capture.
It’s getting easier for the criminals
The challenge is therefore to find and fit vehicle identification that thieves either don’t know about or can’t easily change, that investigators and the public can easily check, and that proves cost effective for the vehicle manufacturer. SBD latest report, A Global Strategy for Vehicle Identification, analyses the various types and forms of vehicle identification, from simple vehicle registration plates or chassis stamps, to sophisticated electronic traceability of parts, rating each in the areas of additional cost, tamper resistance and usefulness for investigation, building a clear strategy for vehicle identification that satisfies the demand. To have a FREE initial discussion about vehicle identification or to buy this report contact Alessio at ABallatore@sbd.co.uk.