Police are observing a significant increase in car cloning incidents, with one officer stating that the number of cases he examines has more than doubled since 2023. This fraud involves criminals giving a stolen car the identity of another, almost identical, genuine vehicle before selling it privately.
Victims have shared their experiences, including an 84-year-old who received nine penalty notices for offences she did not commit, and a woman who unknowingly bought a cloned campervan after saving £6,000. Another victim had two cars stolen from outside their home, with one later seen on the M5 with a cloned plate.
Matt Neale, a stolen vehicle examiner for Avon and Somerset Police, noted that the high number of car thefts in the force area, estimated at 6,000 to 8,000 vehicles annually, is contributing to the rise in cloned cars. He warned that criminals are employing more sophisticated methods, such as false VIN numbers, replacement labels, and reprogrammed electronic systems, to make cloned vehicles appear legitimate.
Police are advising motorists to be aware of 'red flags' when buying a vehicle privately. These include a selling price significantly below market value, the seller being unable to produce a log book (V5C), the seller insisting on meeting away from their home address, and requesting cash only.