A couple got in trouble last Thursday when it turned out that the vehicle identification number (VIN) of their car had been tampered with (see Saturday paper). This usually indicates it was stolen.
The driver said he had merely borrowed the vehicle to run an errand. The man registered as its owner was subsequently summoned to the police station and arrested, while authorities later also detained his girlfriend, but released her after she gave a statement.
It’s interesting that this was discovered during a police control, as these are not normally known to include checking VINs. If the intention is to do so more often, that should certainly be applauded, because car theft continues to be a big problem.
Intensifying inspections is one way to address the issue more effectively, along with tackling the so-called “chop shops” and dubious garages on both the Dutch and French sides where many of the stolen vehicles or their parts end up. As the only way to get these off the island would be by ship, one can assume they are mostly still around somewhere.
Of course, motorists can always claim they bought a car without realising it could have been stolen. However, once caught the burden of proof falls on them, so – for example – having an authentic bill of sale and holding on to such is very important.
What also helps to prevent becoming an innocent victim by – at the very least – having one’s vehicle confiscated as happened in this case, is to apply common sense. When something is offered for sale at far below what it’s reasonably worth, there may likely be a catch.
Just like after widespread looting that followed the onslaught of Hurricane Irma, if a deal seems too good to be true, that’s probably what it is.
