The Police National Computer is perceived as a blunt tool on occasions, at least insofar as vehicle theft recording is concerned. Its LoS (lost or stolen) register is generally considered a database of ‘stolen’ vehicles, the LoS abbreviation giving no hint that the ‘taking’, the loss, may be associated with fraud – possibly a free-text entry will accompany the LoS status.
And who cares? After all, the vehicle was ‘taken’, and criminal activity is associated … let’s get the vehicle back!
If only life were that simple – for example, consider the matter involving Robin Hood, sort of … Lewis & Averay, which is seemingly good law in the UK and continues to be a significant precedent in contract law, particularly concerning mistake as to identity in face-to-face transactions.
But how do vehicles obtained by fraud affect the ‘taken’ figures … should they do so?
Asked for ‘the number of vehicles taken by fraud reported to the constabulary (Home Office offence code offence 53), Avon & Somerset police responded:
No information is held by Avon and Somerset police.
Action Fraud is the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber-crime.
In the vast majority of cases, reports of fraud are completed via the Action Fraud website or Action Fraud call centre.
All cases of fraud, whether reported directly by the victim or referred by the Police, are recorded centrally via Action Fraud and analysed within the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) hosted by the City of London Police as the lead force. You may wish to contact [2]Action Fraud or the [3]National Fraud Intelligence Bureau.
It was further explained:
all fraud occurrences are non-recordable. This is because the crime is recorded centrally with Action Fraud and they disseminate to Forces to investigate. As such, we do not record them as crimes on our system, to avoid double counting of the crime.
The City of London Police recorded 3 ‘taking’ (LoS) offences in 2023 and none in 2024 – yet they are the national fraud recording constabulary. NFIB recorded no frauds. Clearly, neither are recording ‘fraud’ taking offences. More about ActionFraud can be read in the timeline at ‘2009’.
NaVCIS records more LoS markers however, it is understood NaVCIS are principally associated with Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) members fraud i.e. fraudulent finance agreements as opposed to the public/dealers being duped to hand over a vehicle by use of a false instrument (such as a cheque/credit card) etc.
The NaVCIS submissions to the DVLA appear to skew LoS and recovery figures.
Incomplete Records
More about LoS records, the anomalies in recording and the lack of accurate, specific information can be found here: