Car theft solved by private investigators
From time to time, a private investigator may be asked to track down a missing car. A car can be stolen from a public place, a private residence, or a car rental agency.
Types of car thefts:
In economically difficult times, because thefts increase. Some people try to steal cars from rental agencies using fake IDs to rent cars and then just never return them. Some steal cars for their own use, either for regular daily use or to transport contraband and then abandon it. Some deliver the stolen vehicles to junkyards, where the cars will be used for parts. Some just want a car to participate in a race or pleasure trip, and will abandon the car after using it for a period of time.
Some will sell a stolen car to an unsuspecting person, who has no idea that they just bought a stolen vehicle. Sometimes the owner sold the car in good faith to a person who wrote a bad check. In other cases, a couple may have turned their second car over to a leasing company to cut costs; however, the car may have been leased to a “client” who disappeared. Thefts may be for convenience: the thief may have some stolen goods to transport.
No matter what the motive for the theft, it’s up to the private investigator to use their wits to figure out what happened and locate the car. It’s always a good idea to file a police report first, but since the police may not be able to take the time to trace your vehicle, a good private investigator can come in handy.
How we track the car:
A private investigator will use tools such as phone calls, informal conversations, and interviews. A good investigator knows how to formulate questions and statements to get the most cooperation. Most people are surprised if someone they know has stolen a vehicle and will want to cooperate. The trick is to put all the pieces of the puzzle together and track down solid information that is admissible in a short case.
Investigators may use license plate scanners, GPS tracking that comes with certain cars, wearable devices, car-mounted cameras or interviews with anyone whose job requires driving, such as delivery drivers. IP agencies in some countries may have memberships in professional organizations where information collected from license plate scanners is stored in a database. Surveillance on public roads is generally legal and does not go beyond privacy issues. A popular technique is to keep a watch list of all vehicles reported stolen by owners and use the scanners to detect the license plates of parked vehicles. Since thieves often change license plates, it can take time.
The human element in the form of social media and community alerts can also work wonders. Many people have helped recover their own cars by posting photos of their stolen cars on social media and asking people to share them. It’s never a good idea for a friend to confront a car thief, but it can be really helpful if they take pictures or report sightings of the stolen vehicle without the thief noticing.
Clumsy planning on the part of the thief also helps. Sometimes a thief will forge a rental car ID card that he never returns, but uses a real address of someone he knows. As we interview the person whose address was used, the person might recognize the description of the thief and give us clues as to where to find him. We can then conduct surveillance and obtain video of the perpetrator using the stolen car, which will be admissible in court. Once we have enough evidence to face the court, we can wait for the perpetrators to go to bed for the night and immobilize the car with car boots before there is any attempt to make contact.
Over the years, private investigators form relationships with informants. Knowing how to make friends with people who can provide information is gold. Cooperation from all sources is the most important key to solving crimes, and a good Private Investigator knows how to form those relationships.
Other sources of information, albeit not glamorous, are junk yards, car manufacturers, street dumpsters, and hidden cameras in public areas. We can also maintain lists of vehicles with out-of-area registration tags, check the vehicle’s registration for those tags, and locate the vehicle’s lienholder (lender). That is public information and we can call the lender to see if the vehicle is stolen.
Another easy way to check if a car is the one you’re looking for is to check the VIN number, which is often visible on the driver’s side.
Car recovery:
Once the car is found, it can be recovered quite easily and the private investigator and client will agree on the method in advance. Upon finding the car, it can be started or disabled before the IP does one of three things depending on what the customer wants: knock on the suspect’s door and ask for the keys, notify the police, or notify the customer. It is never a good idea for the client to contact the perpetrator, but the client could contact the police.
If the customer is a business, such as a car rental agency, the customer can direct the private investigator to repossess the vehicle. A team of two pis will drive to the scene, start the car and explain to the perpetrators who they are and why they are there. They will cite the violator for the specific vehicle codes that were violated and the jail time or fines associated with such offenses. They will be firm but also very professional. Most perpetrators will hand over the keys without too much fuss once confronted. Otherwise, a tow truck may be called to remove the vehicle. This should not be done without hard evidence and without knowing the laws in your area.
How to prevent theft:
Most vehicles sold today have key codes or tracking systems like LoJack or Onstar. Some have microdots that label individual parts of the car, so they can be identified if the car goes to a junk shop. However, professional thieves can bypass even the most sophisticated systems.
The best auto theft prevention devices, such as ignition locks and pedal locks, disable the vehicle so it cannot be moved without the proper key. If your car does not come with these devices, you can purchase a self-adjusting immobilizer. Always lock your vehicle and park it in the safest places you can.
Unfortunately, because thefts are very common. Taking reasonable security precautions and keeping a photograph and copies of vehicle registration information can help you in the event of a theft. A good Private Investigator will work for your best interests in the recovery of the car.