Every cop, and most civilians, know what a vehicle identification number (VIN) is and why it is important. For those who do not, it is a unique alphanumeric code assigned to every motor vehicle during its manufacturing process.
This identification serves as a crucial “fingerprint” for vehicles and offers an abundance of essential information including vehicle make, model, year, country of manufacture and so on. Suffice to say that this information is the “bible” when it comes to the vehicle and its importance cannot be over emphasized.
How this becomes important is found in the challenge we currently face in Canada relating to vehicle theft. In 2021, more than 217 vehicles were stolen per 100,000 people in Canada. Ontario alone suffered 27,000 thefts.
One example can be seen in Toronto, Canada’s largest city, where car thefts have increased by 300% since 2015 – and in just one year grew from 5,600 in 2021 to more than 8,000 in 2022.
This dramatic increase makes it clear that the growing problem of auto thefts is something that requires action to be taken. Many think about it from a crime victim perspective, but we must remember that this specific increase in crime type has a dramatic impact on everyone who owns and insures that vehicle, as it has the potential to increase insurance rates for all owners.
We often find ourselves chasing this type of crime by throwing more police at the growing problem. That is probably a good idea, particularly when we look at the place of destination for many of these vehicles and parts. Many of the items are being shipped through Canadian ports to offshore locations where they are sold into the local market. We know repatriation of that asset to Canada is seldom done and, in many cases, when it comes to parts, unaffordable. More resources need to be brought to bear against auto thefts in Canada and the police obviously have a part to play.
But now let’s get back to the VINs: Regardless of whether it is a car, truck, trailer, boat trailer, the VIN is available and important. But are we fully utilizing that VIN in the effort to reduce vehicle theft?
Some provinces, specifically Saskatchewan and Alberta, have instituted a VIN verification system that requires verification of the VIN through a physical examination of the vehicle in any instance where the VIN is damaged, missing, duplicated or there is a concern about the VIN’s legitimacy. This occurs in about 1% of the registrations.
The displayed VIN is compared against the available information documented in the vehicle’s title, registration, and other official records. This verification process confirms the authenticity and accuracy of the vehicle’s identification, preventing discrepancies or fraudulent activities. Saskatchewan, for example, noted a 30% decrease in vehicle thefts in 2021 and they are utilizing a verification system.
One of the primary objectives of VIN verification is to prevent fraudulent activities such as title washing – concealing a vehicle’s history or VIN cloning – which uses the VIN and details from another vehicle. By verifying the accuracy of the VIN against official records, these fraudulent activities can be identified and prevented, ensuring the safety and security of the public.
It is clear that the police must become more active in combating vehicle theft, but it is also an opportunity for provincial governments to step up and pass legislation that requires VIN verification to be conducted to reduce the impact of this growing crime.
In the last five years, more than 18,000 vehicles have been verified through the physical VIN verification system in Alberta and Saskatchewan and millions of dollars in vehicles have been recovered. Accurate VIN verification is paramount for public safety and security. It guarantees that vehicles being registered or transferred have not been reported as stolen, and their vehicle identity is valid.
In the provinces that utilize this verification system, the payment for the verification is assigned to the 1% of the people who have purchased a vehicle with a missing, damaged or duplicate VIN and not the 99% who purchased VINs with a clear history.
VIN verification services are a crucial component of the automotive world — ensuring accuracy, preventing fraud, maintaining compliance with legal requirements, enhancing public safety, and facilitating efficient transactions.
Vern White is a retired Canadian Senator, former chief of the Ottawa Police Service and was an assistant commissioner of the RCMP.
