Help! Bought a stolen car

davidmaiden18183

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

OP how did you find out it is a stolen car?

I noticed the VIN on the v5 was a character different to the car after purchasing, on a closer look of the v5 a few things didn't seem to look quite right and then I noticed it didn't have the watermark it had been printed on it. Otherwise it was very convincing had the perforations etc and everything as you'd expect.

The no watermark confirmed it but could then see slight suspect things on mot and then there seemed slight suspect things on the tax also

We then went to the police, they say the vehicle with the reg on the car I bought has an owner in the south of England, on further inspection with the police man we could see the vin numbers had been covered, painted over and replaced. Strangely they let me drive away with the vehicle but of course they have my details.

I'm guessing its inevitable that the vehicle will definately be taken away and identified then and....

If I'm out of luck the true owner will get the car back as the insurance hasn't paid out for it and it's found-I get nowt

If I'm in luck the insurer will have already paid out and I can make an offer to buy the car cheap with some haggling and luck they aren't to stubborn.


Better to pay a few hundred quid and actually get a car than have paid £3400 for a car and have nothing and right it off

Just not sure what a Q plate or Cat C (whichever it would be) would mean to me for getting it insured and procedure/cost to get back on the road.

Krissy306

Gosh that's aweful, surely the police will do somthing about this and try and help you, as this isn't your fault it could happen to anyone

property.advert

If you suspected it was a ringer but had not informed anyone, couldn't you just shift it on and give the problem to someone else ?

davidmaiden18183

property.advert wrote: »

If you suspected it was a ringer but had not informed anyone, couldn't you just shift it on and give the problem to someone else ?

I have the full fake v5 now signed-the seller trusted me to send it to dvla

However I thought about what you say and I would have had to create/copy the fake v5 without names. Make it perforated etc, advertise the car, meet in a place away from home, give myself a fake name, and lie to someone to the back teeth. In all honesty not my nature and not worth the time if you get caught.

That said I'm pretty thorough when it comes to buying a car, and everyone I've sold one to has been less thorough than me! Some I've had to take out on a test drive myself because they didn't need a test drive but it want happy selling it to them without!

I have wondered if the guy who sold me the car had been stung by buying it and just tried to sell it on but I think probably not.

If I hadn't reported it I couldn't have kept it, although that vechicle is registered and taxed and has valid mot anywhere I couldn't take it to a garage for repairs as they would tell, likewise I'd have to drive without insurance as I don't think I could insure it twice etc, stuff like that, likewise I'd have to fake tax discs each year.

All this lot just isn't me or my nature-couldn't do it.

Don't think it could've gone to a scrappy either-they would know its stolen and that they shouldn't scrap it, for all I know they probably talk to the dvla to register it scrapped and they would realised details don't marry up. That and the fact that it's not a right off and they'd see so when scrapping

All I could've probably done is put on eBay as a breaking add and sold each individual part as much as I can to get money back- a long process and not an activity I could do easily, discretly at home and again i would be selling in effect stolen parts.

davidmaiden18183

The police arearranging withme to check the vechicle during this week and they want the fake documents and tax disk to send away for analysis/DNA/ fingerprints. Apparently this crime activity has increased in my area and by just comparing the paper of the forged document they could link this case to other ones.

I still pretty much know the vechicle will be taken from me, my only hope is the insurer has paid out the true owner which will be found once its true identity is uncovered, then and only in that scenario I may get a chance to buy it back cheaply from the insurance company cutting their losses, and then it be Q registered or listed as a Cat C.


Can anyone tell me which is likely Q reg or Cat C, and what is it likely to mean with getting insurance, will insurers touch it?

Sgt_Pepper_2

davidmaiden18183 wrote: »

The police arearranging withme to check the vechicle during this week and they want the fake documents and tax disk to send away for analysis/DNA/ fingerprints. Apparently this crime activity has increased in my area and by just comparing the paper of the forged document they could link this case to other ones.

I still pretty much know the vechicle will be taken from me, my only hope is the insurer has paid out the true owner which will be found once its true identity is uncovered, then and only in that scenario I may get a chance to buy it back cheaply from the insurance company cutting their losses, and then it be Q registered or listed as a Cat C.


Can anyone tell me which is likely Q reg or Cat C, and what is it likely to mean with getting insurance, will insurers touch it?

if the original stolen car is identified it will go back on that reg if it is still available.

vax2002

In these days of camera phones, it is a good idea to ask the seller to have his picture taken with the car, only a crook would object, at least you have a mugshot of who conned you.
As a nation we are far too trusting and far too stiff upper lip about watching our own backs..

Sgt_Pepper_2

vax2002 wrote: »

In these days of camera phones, it is a good idea to ask the seller to have his picture taken with the car, only a crook would object, at least you have a mugshot of who conned you.
As a nation we are far too trusting and far too stiff upper lip about watching our own backs..

That helps our op how?

s_b

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

That helps our op how?

i can see his point but i wouldnt want someone taking my mugshot every time i sold a car
in fact i go to great lengths to make sure im not even a reflection in an autotrader photo
i like to think im not photogenic:D

to op it might not go on a cat c it might not even go on a cat d its all in the hands of the gods, stop fretting youve done the best you can and certainly a lot more than most people so let fate await

davidmaiden18183

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

That helps our op how?

I would be doing that in future, as well as wanting to see ID etc.

my brother actually was trying to take a sly photo but never actually managed it.

be for I'd met to look at the car I was going to say that my brother worked for the police. I never did...if I had I never would have never got to ever see the car I am sure.