Stolen unrecovered car

millie84

I've just found out that my car was stolen back in 2009 and unrecovered. I only found out because I was trying to sell it.
Does this mean I can never sell it?
I never ran a HPI check because I got it from a family member.
The car is virtually worth nothing now, but I was hoping to get a few hundred quid from it, it does run OK and has a years test now.
It just seems a little odd that it's been driven around for 9 years and has never flagged up anywhere.
Would the insurance company still be interested after 9 years and it being worth hardly anything.

Quentin

It's unlikely anyone is going to knowingly buy a stolen car irrespective of how old it is

Johno100

I suspect someone somewhere has failed to update their records back in the day. Clearly you've managed to get a V5c (log book) in your name and I assume your relative did as well so that would indicate that there is nothing flagged up at the DVLA.

You could try calling 101 and see if the police can shed any light on the situation, but of course if it is an outstanding stolen vehicle then you could well have it taken off you.

Oh and have you checked that the registration, VIN number and engine number all match?

unholyangel

millie84 wrote: »

I've just found out that my car was stolen back in 2009 and unrecovered. I only found out because I was trying to sell it.
Does this mean I can never sell it?
I never ran a HPI check because I got it from a family member.
The car is virtually worth nothing now, but I was hoping to get a few hundred quid from it, it does run OK and has a years test now.
It just seems a little odd that it's been driven around for 9 years and has never flagged up anywhere.
Would the insurance company still be interested after 9 years and it being worth hardly anything.

More info needed.

How long have you had it? When did the family member purchase it and where from?

Its possible it was recovered, put to auction by the insurance and they forgot to remove the marker.

millie84

I've had the car for a year. My sister bought it (not sure where from) in August 2012. She gave it to my parents in January 2016. Then I acquired it last June.
It hasn't technically been sold for 6 years so no reason to do a HPI check, and it looks like my sister didn't do one either.
I don't mind because it doesn't owe me anything, but it would have been nice to get some money back from it rather than have to give it up
I know with some financial things, they can't chase you after 6 years, would this count as the same?

AndyMc.....

millie84 wrote: »

I've just found out that my car was stolen back in 2009 and unrecovered. I only found out because I was trying to sell it.
Does this mean I can never sell it?
I never ran a HPI check because I got it from a family member.
The car is virtually worth nothing now, but I was hoping to get a few hundred quid from it, it does run OK and has a years test now.
It just seems a little odd that it's been driven around for 9 years and has never flagged up anywhere.
Would the insurance company still be interested after 9 years and it being worth hardly anything.

How did you find out?

millie84

AndyMc..... wrote: »

How did you find out?

I tried to list it on Gumtree for sale and put the registration in. I got a message saying it had been refused. Its coming up on multiple HPI checks as stolen

AndyMc.....

millie84 wrote: »

I tried to list it on Gumtree for sale and put the registration in. I got a message saying it had been refused. Its coming up on multiple HPI checks as stolen

So you’ve got a V5 in your name, insured the vehicle at least once and probably passed through numerous anpr site without a single problem?

millie84

AndyMc..... wrote: »

So you!!!8217;ve got a V5 in your name, insured the vehicle at least once and probably passed through numerous anpr site without a single problem?

Yeah, it's only when I've come to sell it I've come across this!
Apparently it was purchased from a garage in 2012.
I've got some paperwork at work, I'll have a dig through see what I can find.

konark

Garages are usually very careful to HPI any car they buy as they are liable if they sell a car which is stolen or has outstanding finance on.



If it really has slipped through the net it will technically belong to the insurance company who paid the owner when it was stolen. However I'd still go with the 'stolen' marker that hasn't been deleted.