NCJ Number
138399
Journal
Law Enforcement Quarterly Dated: (August-October 1992) Pages: 21- 25
Date Published
1992
Length
5 pages
Annotation
After stopping a vehicle that may have been stolen, police officers should, if possible, check the vehicle identification number (VIN) rather than the license plate, communicate effectively with the dispatcher, and be aware of the information to include and exclude from the recovery and arrest report.
Abstract
When making a vehicle stop, police officers should keep their safety in mind and follow agency policies. They can usually find the VIN on the left side of the dashboard and should note any indications of tampering. Vehicles produced in 1970 and later repeat the VIN on the Federal safety sticker, and most vehicles have a secondary or tertiary means of identification separate from the public VIN. Checking the VIN usually provides information on the year, model, type of engine, serial number, and complete registration history. If the VIN does not match the listing in the database, the car either has a false VIN or is a "gray market" car that was manufactured for use abroad and brought to the United States legally or illegally. If the VIN is bogus, it must be removed and saved as evidence. It should be photographed before and after removal. The report should provide a complete and detailed account of what happened and how the plate was attached. Photographs and 10 reference notes