How to check if a car is stolen? Guide to stolen car checks
How to find out if a car is stolen? Read our guide to find out more
When it comes to finding out if a car has been stolen. It’s not as hard as you may initially think. In fact, it’s extremely easy with a car history check. Our report will tell you exactly when a car was reported stolen and if the insurer paid out on a claim.
All of our vehicle theft information is taken straight from the Police National Computer and Motor Insurance Database to ensure you get the best and reliable information.
If you’ve run a motorscan car report on a vehicle and it’s come back as stolen, then stay calm, you’ve just found someone’s lost vehicle and saved them a lot of stress.
What you should do next is to pick up the phone and call 101.
Don’t call 999, as locating a stolen car is not an emergency. Calling 101 will put you through to the police to report a crime or to provide information on a crime (such as finding a lost car).
In the event that you buy a car before running a stolen car check and find out the vehicle is stolen then there are a few actions you’ll need to take.
Firstly, find the contact details of whoever you brought the car from, you won’t be able to keep the car after notifying the police and the person who stole it will need to be prosecuted.
The next and final step would be to contact the police on 101 (the non-emergency line) and inform them that the car you’ve purchased has been flagged as stolen. Being honest and upfront about the situation will help you to avoid prosecution, if you cannot provide evidence that you bought the car then you could be looked at for stealing it.
If you happen to come across a stolen car then the first step is to remain calm as to avoid raising suspicion from the people who stole the car. Whenever you’re able to leave the situation for a couple of minutes, then instantly dial 101 to report the stolen car.
The moment you realise your car has been stolen you need to contact the police in order to open a case. If the crime is in progress, dial 999 otherwise if the crime has already occurred you’ll need to dial 101.
After reporting the incident to the police, you’ll need to contact your insurance company and provide them with the crime number supplied by the police. This is to ensure if your vehicle is not recovered your insurance will pay out a sum to cover the value of the car.
