Vehicle Related Theft Flashcards
What do you need to do if a vehicle is reported as stolen?
Forensic opportunities, especially footwear marks. It would also be a good idea to search the local area.
Obtain as much detail about the car as possible.
Circulate the vehicle on PNC/ANPR (Reported stolen it should have a stolen marker attached to it)
Carry out a historic search on the ANPR (Ask the control room to carry out a historic search of the ANPR system for the stolen vehicle)
Crime Scene Enquiries (Doing house to house, looking for CCTV cameras and searching the local area to see if the vehicle or any property has been abandoned)
Powers to stop vehicles
Section 163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988: a person driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road must stop the vehicle on being required to do so by a constable in uniform or a traffic officer.
Section 4 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 allows either all vehicles or those selected by a particular criterion to be stopped in a particular locality in order to locate an offender or witness involved in an indictable offence (subject to authorisation). The location of such road checks is integral to achieving this objective. It should afford maximum protection to both the public and police while giving little warning to the suspect and no escape routes.
Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order 1994 gives preventive stop and search powers (subject to authorisation) to the police where violence is anticipated in a particular location.
Section 43, section 44 and section 45 of the Terrorism Act 2000 give preventive stop and search powers to the police when terrorist activity is anticipated in a particular location.
It is recommended that vehicles are stopped from behind. When stopping vehicles, officers should:
- Monitor reactions of other drivers in case they believe an instruction to stop applies to them.
- Ensure target vehicle has stopped before bringing the police vehicle to a stop.
- Position the police vehicle in such a way as to make the best use of emergency lighting and markings. It may be necessary, to ask the motorist to move to a safer location.
- On motorways and dual carriageways, consider taking vehicles off the carriageway and stopping them at the next junction or service area.
- On the motorway hard shoulder, leave a distance of at least 25 metres between the police vehicle and the subject vehicle. This also applies when attending a broken-down vehicle on the hard shoulder.
- On the motorway hard shoulder, instruct drivers on how to rejoin the carriageway safely.
- When stopping a vehicle from the front, the police vehicle’s rear matrix (where fitted) should be used to direct the vehicle to a suitable and safe location, and then stopped.
When instructing previously stopping vehicles on how to rejoin the carriageway safely, officers need to be confident that the following advice has been understood:
- Build up speed on the hard shoulder to match the speed of the traffic in lane one
- Signal prior to moving into an available gap
- Ensure that motorists from other lanes are not about to move into the same space.
Powers to seize vehicles
Road Traffic Act 1988 (Retention and Disposal of Seized Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2008 allows police to charge the driver if the vehicle is to be removed and retained under section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (power to seize vehicles driven without licence or insurance).
Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002 allows the police to seize motor vehicles which are being driven inconsiderately or carelessly on a road or other public place (contrary to section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988) or without lawful authority, off road or on any road that is a footpath, bridleway or restricted byway (contrary to the section 34 of the Road Traffic Act 1988) and in such a manner as to cause, or is likely to cause alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public. A constable shall not seize a motor vehicle under this power, unless a warning is given that continued use will lead to seizure.
Section 34B of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 allows vehicles to be seized where they have been used to commit a relevant offence.
Sections 173 to 175 of the Transport Act 2000 allow the police and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to seize untaxed vehicles.
Section 41 of the Police Reform Act 2002 allows chief constables to accredit DVSA staff with the power to stop goods and passenger vehicles.
Section 64 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 allows the police to enter land and seize vehicles in relation to rave events.
Section 45 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 allows the police to seize criminal assets, including vehicles that are subject to a restraint order where it is necessary to prevent the vehicle’s removal from England and Wales.
Section 19 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) gives general powers of seizure.
Section 25d of the Immigration Act 1971 provides that a senior officer or a constable may detain a relevant ship, aircraft or vehicle if a person has been arrested for an offence under section 25, 25A or 25B of the Immigration Act 1971.
Arrested persons
Where the necessity test is met under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) Code G, transportation of detainees should only be undertaken in accordance with force policy. Consideration should be given to:
- Searching the back of the police vehicle and removing any equipment before placing the suspect in the vehicle
- Searching the suspect before placing them in the car
- Using handcuffs
- Activating the child locks to prevent the suspect opening the car doors, and deactivating any electric windows
- Seating another officer behind the driver, watching the suspect at all times
- Searching the back of the police car on arrival at the police station, in the presence of the suspect.
Dynamic risk assessment
Officers should carry out a dynamic risk assessment prior to stopping a vehicle and ensure that it is stopped in a position which gives approaching traffic sufficient warning.
There are additional factors to consider when a vehicle(s) is suspected of being involved in terrorism or is believed to be carrying:
- Firearms – in this case specialist advice from a firearms advisor should be sought
- Drugs – the National Crime Agency (NCA) diamond database can provide information on the movements, transportation methods, routes used, packaging, markings and concealment methods
- Vulnerable people – this includes those subjected to child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, kidnap and extortion, mispers and child abduction.
Technology can transform how the police tackle criminality on the roads. It can also assist in counter-terrorism activity.
Technology available to forces to disrupt criminality includes:
- Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR)
- CCTV
- Vehicle tracking – devices which may be fitted to vehicles by manufacturers or the public. Some allow vehicles to be immobilised remotely. Many police vehicles and air support units have tracking equipment fitted.
- Smartwater – a clear liquid substance only visible under ultraviolet light. It contains a unique code and is used to mark property.
- Roadside fingerprinting (project lantern).
- Facial recognition.
- Average speed safety cameras.
- FIND (facial images national database) project.
What is Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR)?
An effective way of identifying vehicles and matching them against predetermined indices or flags. It is a proactive policing tool for response policing and investigations, which can prevent crime by targeting criminals through their use of the roads.
Criminals will often try and disguise stolen vehicles so that they are a lot harder to identify. To try and combat this, the motor industry has devised a number of methods to discover the true identity of stolen vehicles.
There are 4 ways to discover the identity of a vehicle. You can use the pneumonic VICE to help you remember them…
V – Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): this is 17 characters long and is unique to each vehicle. All vehicles made since the 1st of April 1980 should have a VIN number.
I – Index Number or Registration Plate: All mechanically propelled vehicles used on a public road must display a registration number (VRM). This is displayed on the number plate. It is worth bearing in mind however that criminal will often use false registrations from identically looking cars. So even if it appears to be on the right vehicle, if you are in any doubt check the VIN numbers.
C - Chassis Number: This is the same as the VIN number which replaced the old chassis number. As you have seen above every vehicle should have the VIN number identified on the main chassis of the car.
E – Engine Number: Number is stamped on the engine. It is not unusual not to see this number as it is often in a place only visible when the engine is out of the vehicle.
There are usually 3 places where a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is recorded.
Under the bonnet
On the frame inside the door (usually drivers side)
In the bottom section of the windscreen
You pass the registration number (VRM) to the control room. The check comes back telling you that the registration is for a car with the same make, model and colour, and that a V23 has been submitted.
Do you just leave it there as these match with the car you have stopped?
NO!
The first warning sign here is that the PNC tells you a V23 has been submitted.
Although this doesn’t confirm the vehicle is stolen, criminals will often steal a car and then switch its identity with an identical vehicle that has been declared as off the road. This means when a check is carried out on the registration, it all appears in order.
Have a look for major alterations; are there any recently added parts, does the car look as if it has been resprayed to a different colour? These are all signs that the car could be stolen. Criminals will often add things like spoilers or new lights/bumpers to try and disguise a car. They will also often respray them to a totally different colour.
This car we have stopped doesn’t seem to have been altered at all. So what next?
It’s now time to start checking for VICE!
Locate the 3 VIN numbers. Two of these match the details held on PNC for the registration, but the other is different. You decide to run a check on this different VIN number. It comes back to a car of the identical make and model, but this vehicle is showing as being stolen AND the two matching VIN numbers look as if they have been welded onto the car.
What is a V23?
A V23 is sent to the DVLA by either an insurance company or the police when a vehicle is written off and should no longer be on the roads.
It is legal to repair these vehicles and there will usually be evidence of extensive repairs taking place, such as welding marks.
What happens when a stolen vehicle is found by the police?
They usually arrange for an approved recovery operator to take it to a secure location (reg 4 of the Removal and Disposal of Vehicles Regulations 1986).
Owner of vehicle or insurance company has to pay for recover and storage fees.
How do criminal gangs produce desirable vehicles with new identities to sell on?
- Obtain an in-demand but damaged vehicle.
- Must have a v23
- Criminal steals a similar vehicle in good condition (colour and make the same)
- Identifying features from the damaged vehicle are then transferred to stolen so it can be sold.
