Hundreds of stolen cars are brought in the UK every week by unsuspecting buyers
. In lots of cases these stolen cars are found by the police, taken from the new owner and returned to the original owners, leaving the innocent buyer without a vehicle or the money they paid for it. Most of the time the thief is never caught. It is also not unusual for the buyer to be charged with receiving stolen property.
With a few basic checks it is possible to considerably reduce or eliminate the risk of buying a stolen vehicle. Start by comparing the VIn number and number plates listed on the V5C with those on the actual car. If they do not match do not buy the car. If you think that the car has recently been resprayed a different colour, be suspicious. Changing the colour of a car is a common first step for people who steal cars.
When you look at the car insist on seeing it at the sellers address. Make sure that the seller actually does live at that address, by asking for a utility bill or seeing their driving licence. Ask tactfully so as not to cause offence and most sellers will understand and be willing to show you this type of documentation.
If a car seems too cheap this is another warning sign of it being a stolen vehicle or of there being some other major problem with it. Even if the car is not stolen there is a strong possibility that the car has outstanding finance against it. If you buy a car like this you can find yourself in an argument with the finance company to whom the money is owed.
The best way to avoid problems completely is to use a company like mycarcheck.com to search out the history of the car and verify that it has not been stolen. This costs money, so only do it when you are sure that you want to buy a particular car.