A route many may never hear about. When police seize property that becomes the subject of competing claims, there is a legal mechanism designed to resolve those disputes. Yet many innocent purchasers are never told about it. Some may come away believing the matter ends when the vehicle is taken into police possession. In reality,…
When police officers seize a vehicle suspected of being stolen, most people assume the matter is legally settled. The vehicle is taken, and the person who reported it stolen will eventually receive it back. However, this assumption overlooks an important distinction within the law. Police powers to seize property exist for investigative and evidential purposes,…
Capability Without Coordination? Modern vehicles are increasingly connected devices. Many can receive over-the-air updates, transmit diagnostic information, and in some cases be located remotely. This often leads to a simple question: At first glance the solution appears straightforward. In practice, the situation is more complicated. Manufacturers are rarely the first organisation to learn that a…
We are frequently told that “relay theft” is becoming the norm for modern vehicles. But how certain are we? In many reported vehicle removals, there is no forensic evidence establishing precisely how the vehicle was started or driven away. Yet the explanation often quickly becomes “security bypass” or “electronic compromise.” Before concluding that modern vehicle…
‘Car signal jammers, to be outlawed’ (source), are said to be used in: The source of this information is understood to be the 2022/23 Crime Survey for England and Wale – read more here. This therefore appears to be a victim’s perspective/assumption. What of police data? Those constabularies approached for information to support statements about…
Some 20-odd years ago, a constabulary reported that about 30% of all ‘reports’ of vehicle theft were tainted by fraud. Why would this be any different today? 2024: I read a JDA case study with interest and urge anyone involved in the vehicle theft arena to familiarise themselves with key examination. Some wonder why I…
“With thefts up and recoveries down, anything we can do to help our overstretched police forces is surely welcome”. Source: ‘report process aims to cut motor claims delays and ease police pressures‘ With vehicle theft rising by 30%, from 100,000 in 2022 to 130,000 in 2023, UK police constabularies must prepare for a surge in…
A vehicle theft crime number is not evidence that a theft occurred. to the desk, line on the left, just one number. Next?” The value of a police reference number, indicating a report of a crime has been officially registered, diminishes if it is obtained with minimal effort or verification. Currently, a police reference only…
Really? The press explain the ease with which vehicles can be taken, vehicle manufactruers are being ´named & shamed´, keyless tech’ is to blame, car-makers are urged to ‘sort out their failures’. Think again. Criticizing vehicle manufacturers for thefts is easy, and appears reasonable but is a distraction. The conduct benefits only the thieves. Vehicle…
‘Weeding‘; the archaic process of automatically removing a Police National Computer (PNC) Lost or Stolen (LoS) marker against a vehicle registration mark (VRM) because someone failed to ‘confirm’ the stolen allegation within 6 weeks. How many stolen vehicles have fallen foul of this process; are stolen but no longer recorded as such? Gwent Constabulary appears…
