Why a stolen check matters
If you buy a stolen car, it does not become yours, however much you paid. The police can take it back for the rightful owner and you may lose your money. Stolen cars are often sold quickly and cheaply, with a story about why the seller needs a fast sale.
The check looks at the police record for the car. If it is recorded as stolen, the report says so clearly, and the Vettly Score loses 60 points and can go no higher than 10. Do not buy it. Contact the police with the registration.
A clear result means the car is not recorded as stolen. It is one of several checks in the report, so read it together with the finance and write-off results.
Cloned cars
A stolen car can be disguised with the plates of a genuine car of the same make, model and colour. Its records will look clean, because they belong to the real car. This is called cloning.
The full report includes the last five characters of the VIN and the engine number. Check them against the car itself and the V5C logbook. The VIN is usually visible at the base of the windscreen, on a door pillar and under the bonnet. If anything does not match, walk away. Our VIN check explains how.
Look at the windscreen VIN for scratches or stickers, and at the VIN plate for new rivets or glue. Any sign of tampering is a reason to walk away.
Other warning signs
Be wary of a seller who wants to meet somewhere other than their home, cannot show you the logbook, or has a logbook without the 'DVL' watermark. Check the address on the V5C matches where you view the car. A price well below similar cars is another warning, and so is a seller who insists on cash.
The report also flags high-risk markers, where a company or the police has registered an interest in the car. That does not always mean it is stolen, but call the contact in the report before you go further.
Part of the full history check
The stolen check comes with every full history check: £4.49 for one, or £3.00 a check in a pack of 10. It also covers outstanding finance, write-offs, keepers and plate changes. The free check covers MOT, tax and mileage. Follow our used car buying checklist for the rest of the viewing.
Run it before you travel to a viewing or pay a deposit. A stolen car is often sold quickly, and the seller may be hard to find afterwards.