Turns out my bus was previously stolen

In my quest to get my number plate/VIN corrected, as it is 6 months too early for a cross over, I had discovered the original manufacturers plate and got hold of the birth certificate.

I contacted the DVLA and they had no record of the original VIN and after a load of back and forth (and delays due to Covid) they contacted the local fuzz for an inspection.

I expected them just to check over the evidence I had and confirm with DVLA but the copper spent three hours with various potions trying to get the original chassis VIN to show. It had been welded over but not completely and the last two numbers and the tops of two others could be seen which confirmed the manufacturers plate.

He has created a report which is below.


Hello Sir,

Just a follow up to my voice mail, and a bit of an update.

The VIN of 22XXXXXXXX was previously reported stolen quite a number of years ago. There is/ was a question whether it was recovered or not. Unfortunately, given the length of time since that allegation any records have long since gone. This includes any removal of stolen reports. However the vehicle is still floating as we know.

I have managed to liaise with the insurance company who had the claim against them. They cannot provide any more details, other than that they have no further interest in the vehicle. This would be a plus point from your point of view!

I have completed a report of my participation and will forward that to DVLA who will advise you in due course once they have a decision of where this is going and any re-registering etc. I’m not going to pre-empt anything on behalf of DVLA.

Thank you


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What do you think is likely outcome?

 

Two years for receiving stolen goods ?

 

That’s quite encouraging actually that they did that much work

 

@SkutterBob

Wow! fingers crossed the DVLA aren't going to be idiots.
If they are you may have to 'dispose' of that vehicle and just stick with the details of the vehicle many of us have seen at techenders etc

Can the person who sold it to you shed any light on the matter?

 

If it all goes wrong leave the vin numbers on the drive when they come to collect and tell them it rusted away, buy an old crapper and ring it

like this

 

Alus knew you were a wrong `un !

Hoping they don`t play silly arses and a swift conclusion is reached ...


(none custodial )

 

Probably be less with good behaviour

 

Technically it's not @SkutterBob's Bus, but since the insurance company aren't interested then I don't think that's a problem.

 

When I originally contacted the DVLA they were really decent about it. They couldn't find the original VIN so it was long gone from their records and as I had the birth certificate, they said they would put an age related plate on. They also said that it was quite common for VINs to get swapped back in the day.

I have MOTs going back to 2006 and so the previous owner didn't know either. The copper said that a vehicle is flagged as stolen for around 5 years and then if it pops up again and insurance is all sorted then it can be put back on the road.

One thing I did notice was that MOT testers are really useless at checking VIN plates as my V5 has had one digit incorrect for years.

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A similar thing happened to my neighbour
In 2001
His mother passed away and left him an envelope containing lots of cash and a note saying go buy that jag.
He'd had his eye on a mk 2 jag for years
I remember it turning up on a low loader it looked mint.
He bought it from a jaguar main dealer in Blackburn he only had it four weeks I came home from work and the police were all over it. They found out it had been ringed and they took it he never seen it again and he didn't get his money back either he tried to claim of jaguar in Blackburn but they said they didn't own the car and were selling it for commission only as far as I know he didn't get the money back, for years after he rode around in a fiesta.

So I think you're very lucky it's the insurance company that calls the shots and if they have no interest in it that's a good thing.

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When I tried to register mine I had lost the Nova Cert. I thought this would be a pain.

I rang them and they said it isn't on the system with that vin. I was a bit miffed as bought off here.

I found a delivery receipt like you have to sign with the AA etc at handover to say the vehicle hasn't been damaged.

I rang the bloke back at HMC and said I found this but a digit is wrong is it in the system ? He said yes it is. I said what do I do now expecting a load of hard work.. He said I will alter it and email you a new Nova. I nearly fell off my chair.

 

When you say idiots , do you mean do the correct paperwork to ensure vehicles with questionable history are reunited with their previous owners or removed from the road as per their job?

 

David, apologies my flippant quickly typed post is wrong.

You are of course correct, of course I want the staff at DVLA to do what is right.

I should have just said I hopes it works out for Stuart @SkutterBob.

Apologies to any DVLA staff.

I shal, at a future point, give my self a temporary ban from TLB and go and have a long hard think about my life.

 

When I bought my bus, it had recently been reconverted back to a T1 1600 engine but the V5 still had the engine number from the T4 that had been shoehorned in a few years earlier. Complicating this was the VIN stamped in the engine bay had obviously been cut and welded. I wrote a letter and sent photos of the engine number and VIN, and within about 4 weeks I got a new updated V5.

I feel it's important to give praise when it's due, especially as DVLA/DVSA take a lot of flack (like with the recent driving license application waiting times).

 

Does anyone see this and not feel some small amount of sadness?

 

Make sure you put some air in that front tyre