Terminology
Taken
Stolen
Fraud
Clone
Ringer
Plate Change
Soaking – a stolen vehicle is driven to a busy car park or respectable neighbourhood with on-street parking where it may stay for up to a week ‘soaking’ – slang for waiting to see if the vehicle is tracked by the police. Read more here.
Abbreviations
ABI – Association of British Insurers
ACPO – Association of Chief Police Officers (of England, Wales & N.Ireland) – replaced by the NPCC
AI – Accident Investigator (traffic-related)
BOCU – Borough Operational Command Unit – MPS
CAD – Computer-Aided Despatch
CARB – Collision/Accident Report Book
CIU – Collision Investigation Unit
CJ – Criminal Justice
CJU – Criminal Justice Unit
Clone – A stolen vehicle bearing the identity of another
CMU – Crime Management Unit (‘Crime Desk’)
CPS – Crown Prosecution Service
CRIS – Crime Reporting Information System
CTCJU – Central Traffic CJU (part of Traffic Criminal Justice OCU)
CTG – Central Transport Garage (MPS Transport Services, Lambeth)
DI – Detective Inspector
DPS – Directorate of Professional Standards (DCC8)
DVLA – Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (part of the Department for Transport DfT)
DVSA – Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, primarily known for its association with MoT
FATACC – Fatal Accident (traffic)
FPN – Fixed Penalty Notice
Finance – Hire Purchase (H.P.), Lease Agreements, Bills of Sale & Log Book Loans (LBL)
HO/RT – Home Office Road Traffic (reporting forms) – HO/RT/1 a ‘producer’
HP – Hire Purchase
LoS – Lost or Stolen – a categorization appearing upon PNC
MIAFTR – Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud Theft Register
MoT – Ministry of Transport (a ‘ministry’ that is no more). The annual test of vehicle safety etc
MPS – Metropolitan Police Service
NFA – No Further Action (decision not to proceed/prosecute)
NPIA – National Policing Improvement Agency
OiC – Officer in Charge/Officer in the Case
PCN – Penalty Charge Notice
PNC – Police National Computer
Ringer – A stolen vehicle bearing the identity of one previously deemed to be a total
loss
RTC – Road traffic collision
Salvage Dealer – A party that engaged in the dismantling, breaking of vehicles and/or the sale or repair of
salvage
SVS – Stolen Vehicle Squad (a dwindling facility!)
Title – A legal right to property. ‘Ownership’ as opposed to ‘possession’
Total Loss – or ‘write-off’; where an insurer has deemed the vehicle to be uneconomic to
repair and applied a salvage category
V5C – Registration Certificate (otherwise known as the V5, Registration Document or
Log Book)
VDRS – Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme
VE – Vehicle Engineering (unit of MPS Transport Services)
VIN – Vehicle Identification Number
VOSA – Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, replaced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
VRM – Vehicle Registration Mark
Write-Off – see total loss (above)
WDC – Without due care (driving offence)
