Check if a car is recorded stolen
Ensuring you have checked that the vehicle hasn’t been stolen is integral – and stolen car checks help with this. A stolen car check uses a vehicle’s registration number to check whether the car has previously been reported as stolen. In turn, this helps you avoid accidentally purchasing a car that doesn’t belong to you.
If you unintentionally purchase a stolen car, and it is subsequently seized by the police, there is no obligation for them to provide compensation. In most cases, they are empowered to repossess stolen vehicles and restore them to their rightful owners or insurers.
It’s worth keeping in mind too that stolen cars are often found incredibly quickly. The stolen marker means that the car will be identified usually by automatic number plate recognition systems or even insurers. So, within a few weeks of purchasing a stolen vehicle, you might find it being taken away from you. By then, the fraudulent seller could already be hard to track down.
A stolen car check can help you determine whether your vehicle has been recorded as stolen. If the car has been marked as stolen, this allows you to avoid the purchase and also report the vehicle to the police. In turn, this can help get the vehicle back to its rightful owner sooner, so you know you’ve not only saved your funds but done a great deed in the process.
Checking whether a car is stolen is simple with our free stolen car check. Simply enter the vehicle’s registration number to see whether the car has been recorded as being stolen.
Stolen vehicles are usually found rapidly, especially if the car is sold to an unsuspecting buyer. When a buyer attempts to insure the vehicle they have purchased, the insurance company will likely see whether it is stolen; if it is, they will usually deny the insurance and report this. However, not all cars will necessarily be found.
If you bought a stolen vehicle, you have the right to request a full/partial refund. However, sellers of stolen cars will usually be fraudulent. As such, there’s no guarantee you will be able to track them down to request a refund. The seller may have used false details, leaving you with fewer options, although some banks may offer a refund option for debit or credit card purchases of stolen items if you have been scammed.
Our stolen car check is limited to the Police National Database. For a more comprehensive car check, we recommend our paid report, which provides information on whether the vehicle is recorded as stolen in insurance records as well.
