Anna Michael’s vehicle was cloned before she had even purchased it. Having sat on a second-hand garage forecourt for a couple of weeks, criminals took advantage and used the car’s details to create a false identity for an identical stolen vehicle. Soon after purchasing the car, Anna, who lives in London, faced the extreme embarrassment and inconvenience of being stopped by the police. After being informed that her car had been cloned, Anna was forced to change her vehicle’s registration plate.

“It has been a nightmare,” said Anna. “After the police stopped me the first time and told me my car had been cloned, I thought that would be the end of it. Although my car was genuine, I had to change my registration plate to ensure that there were no further problems. It has caused a lot of disruption and anxiety; it’s not something I wish to experience again!”

However Anna was relatively lucky; if she had bought a stolen car, things could have been a lot worse. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to Vincent Farrow from Northamptonshire. Vincent unwittingly became a victim of car cloning when he bought a vehicle through a reputable car sales website. Nothing untoward aroused Vincent’s suspicions; when he purchased the vehicle, he was given the ‘New Registered Keeper’s’ slip from the log book and after a HPI check, which searches for outstanding finance and damage as well as whether the vehicle is stolen, the car was given the all-clear. When he had not received his new log book after six weeks, Vincent got in touch with the DVLA, who, after rigorous checks, informed him that his vehicle was stolen and had been given a cloned identity.

“The criminals who did this must be part of a professional organisation,” said Vincent. “All of the numbers etched into the windows and the windscreen corresponded to that on the chassis. There was no reason for me to be suspicious of the vehicle. It has caused an extraordinary amount of inconvenience; the vehicle was bought to give us more space when going on family holidays. But since we found out that the car was stolen, we have not been able to use it and until the case is settled, we are unable to recover the money we paid for it.”

AVCIS’ Head of Unit, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Hooper, is determined to make people more aware of car cloning when purchasing a vehicle. “Both Anna and Vincent have been very unfortunate to experience car cloning, but these are not isolated cases. Now that criminals have the technology to clone vehicles, it’s even more important that motorists follow the correct procedures when purchasing a car. Always check that the address where you are viewing the vehicle corresponds with the registration document; check the car’s service record and MOT certificate; ensure the logbook (V5) correctly describes the vehicle make, model and engine number, and also ensure that you check the VIN plate tallies with the V5.

Q: What are the most common crimes fleet drivers become a victim of?

A: Like all road users they are vulnerable to theft when the vehicle is left unattended. As fleet drivers, they may well be using the roads more, and as such, it is likely they will have to park away from office/home more often. This means that they are leaving a vehicle in an unfamiliar place.

Q. For fleet managers, what are the most important measures to take to protect their fleet vehicles from crime?

A: Sound general crime prevention advice, insist that drivers secure vehicles, take reasonable steps to park them in recognised areas. Do not leave valuables in sight. Do not allow keys out of their possession.

Q: There have been many reports to suggest that as anti-theft devices get more sophisticated, thieves have taken to attacking the weakest links in a car’s security – the driver and the car keys through methods such as car jacking and key snatching. Is it at all possible to minimise the risk for these offences?

A: As above, be aware of your environment. Do not leave keys on show near a front door to the house and lock car doors when driving.

Q: What about crash for cash? How does a driver identify and prove that he is a victim and not the guilty party?

A: In most cases the driver will have no idea there is a fraud. All they can do is comply with the law in providing details at the scene and if they are suspicious of the incident, make a full report raising the concerns to the insurance company at the earliest opportunity.

Q: With controversy over the recent Home Office figures reporting the theft of car keys from the owner’s home as burglary rather than vehicle crime, do you expect to see a big leap in the vehicle crime statistics when the annual figures are released in April?

A: What recent controversy? We do hope for a more accurate figure this year due to some changes in the counting systems, but there are still areas which may fall through the net. For example, fraud. If a car is obtained fraudulently; it may not be recorded as a car crime. We are working to address these issues.

Q. Your TruckPol division is looking for private investors, why is it important to keep this division going?

A: It is vital to support the Freight Industry. Crime of this type have a significant impact on the economy of the UK. The partnership with the industry allows for a complete dialogue, a forum for the operators to share experience and concerns.

Q: How do fleets ensure that vehicles are not sub-let to them?

It is important for fleet operators to be sure who they are dealing with. Use recognised sources and if there are concerns about the supplier then request information and guarantees. Sub let vehicles may have been obtained through fraud and serious crime.

Q: Why is the level of recovered stolen vehicles so low and how can fleets ensure that their vehicles are recoverable?

A: The UK recovery rate for stolen vehicles is around 53 per cent. This is poor in relation to most of our EU partners. AVCIS has a target to increase this to around 65 per cent in five years, but this can only be achieved through greater collaboration with the insurance industry. As an island, the organised criminal groups export vehicles through the ports with relative ease. This combined with the high specification of vehicles sold through the UK market makes it a profitable exercise for the criminal.

Operators can increase the recovery rate in a number of ways, becoming a partner organisation with AVCIS will get an enhanced policing response, as we have dedicated teams investigating members crimes.

Commercially the use of vehicle locating devices to protect fleets will increase the chance of recovery once there has been a policing response.

Q: Do the police run any fleet-specific courses to help drivers become better motorists?

A: It has traditionally been the Institute of Advanced Motorists who have provided training in respect of driving. Police do run campaigns with the Home Office to promote safety and consideration.