Check any Car’s VIN to See If It Is Stolen in Seconds

With a vehicle being stolen every 48 seconds in the United States, checking whether a car has theft records can save potential buyers from significant financial loss. Get a stolen VIN check before paying today!
No VIN?Use license plate
|
#appstorewindows
Stolen VIN Check

What is a Stolen VIN Check?

A Stolen VIN Check is a fast and effective way to see if a vehicle has been reported stolen or has theft records associated with it.

More than ever, in 2023, over 1 million vehicles were stolen. Many of these cars end up being sold to buyers across the US, Canada, Mexico, and even countries like Ghana.

You don't want to unknowingly buy one of these, right? A stolen car VIN check can help spot them. Easily avoid scams, legal issues, and financial losses with our instant tool.

What Stolen Records are Provided in the Vehicle History Report?

When a used car is stolen and the records are updated in the database, you will unsually see the following information in the report:

  • View number of thefts
  • Location
  • Date of thefts
  • Data Source
  • Colour
  • License plate (if available)

What Does the Stolen VIN Check Report Contain?

When you request a full report after checking for theft records, you’ll receive a detailed history of the vehicle. Using this 2015 MAZDA 3 as an example, let’s find out what a stolen VIN report contains:

Stolen Records

The report shows that the car has been involved in four thefts or stolen records. This could mean it was reported stolen multiple times or recovered after theft. Such a history raises questions about the car’s security and ownership documentation.

Title Brand Records

Check a vehicle's history to confirm its roadworthiness. Look for issues like salvage, rebuilt, flood damage, or odometer discrepancies. For instance, the Mazda has an odometer brand, suggesting it has incorrect mileage displayed on the car and more wear and tear than indicated.

Odometer Rollbacks

An odometer rollback is when the seller or dealer tampers with the odometer reading to make the vehicle appear to have a lower mileage than it does. View the actual mileage reading of a vehicle and identify this fraudulent act with a VIN check.

Accident Records

Find out whether a vehicle has been in an accident in the past, as well as the date of the accident and location. The vehicle has been in three accidents. Accidents can cause both visible and hidden damage, affecting safety and performance. Even if repairs were made, some effects of the collisions might remain.

Damage Records

There's one recorded instance of damage for the 2015 MAZDA 3 – right side damage. A vehicle history report shows full details of the damages sustained on a vehicle after a crash or accident. Check for structural alterations, minor/major damages, dents and scratches, and more.

Auction and Sales History

The car has no auction records, so it wasn't sold through major vehicle auctions, at least not officially documented. But you can view auction records with the auction VIN check tool. View up to 10 auction photos per listing, including the current auction status of the vehicle, date of the auction(s), price, location, and more.

Lien/Loan Records

A lien or loan record exists for the vehicle, meaning someone else might still owe money on it. If you were to buy the car, this issue would need to be resolved first.

Don't pay someone else's loan; Get a full VIN check.

Ownership Records

The car has had six previous owners, which is a high number for most vehicles. Frequent ownership changes can sometimes indicate issues with the car, such as recurring mechanical problems or dissatisfaction from past owners.

Service and Repair Records

From the vehicle history report, you'll find that the car underwent significant servicing, including battery replacement, brake servicing, electrical system checks, tire service, and an oil change. Find service records by VIN in seconds, including the dates and locations.
Get Stolen VIN Check Report View Sample Report

What are the Risks of Buying a Stolen Vehicle?

Real Case: High-End Camaro Scam

Roger Johnston, a man from the county, bought a 2018 Camaro ZL1 for nearly $74,000 from the online dealer Carvana in 2022. Seventeen months later, when he tried to sell the car, he discovered it had been reported stolen in Texas. The VIN on the car was fake; someone had swapped it out, and the real VIN was found under the hood.

After confirming the car was stolen, law enforcement confiscated it, leaving Roger without his car and out of the money he spent. Now, Roger's left paying for a car he doesn't even have.

Here's why you don't want to risk buying a stolen vehicle:

Legal Consequences

If the car you buy is flagged as stolen, it can be seized by authorities, like what happened to Roger. You'll be without your vehicle and your money.

Financial Loss

Not only will you lose the vehicle, but you could also lose the money you paid for it. You also can't legally register or sell it. Even if you try, you could be stuck with a worthless vehicle.

Safety Issues

Stolen cars are often tampered with, which can affect their safety. In some cases, like this one, the VIN is altered to conceal the car's true identity, making it harder to trace.
Don't let this happen to you! Always check for stolen records using the VIN or license plate before completing a purchase or sale.
Get a VIN History Report

How to Perform a Stolen Car VIN Lookup?

Follow these simple steps to get yourself a detailed stolen vehicle history report.
Run a VIN Check

What to Do if You Accidentally Purchased a Stolen Vehicle?

If you discover that the vehicle you purchased has previous stolen records, you must act fast. Quickly follow these steps:

Contact Law Enforcement

The first step is contacting the police. They know the steps to take, and they'll guide you through the whole process. With their help, you may be able to recover the funds you paid initially.

Contact Your Insurance Company

After the police, you should reach out to your insurance company. Some policies cover losses in the event of a stolen car, so contact them to find out.

Consider Legal Action

The process may not be as easy as it looks, and you may need to take legal steps to recover your money, especially if you can prove that the seller misled you. Contact a lawyer specializing in consumer protection and provide all the information you have.
Always remember that it's far better to verify a vehicle's history beforehand than to deal with the risks and loss of a stolen car.

The Most Stolen Vehicles in North America (2025)

If you are in the market for any of these vehicles or any used protect yourself by getting a stolen vehicle VIN search. Here are the top 10 stolen vehicles in the US, sourced from the NICB 2025 theft report:
  • Hyundai Elantra
    21,732 per 100000
  • Honda Accord
    17,797 per 100,000
  • Hyundai Sonata
    17,687 per 100,000
  • Chevrolet Silverado 1500
    16,764 per 100,000
  • Honda Civic
    12,725 per 100,000
  • Kia Optima
    11,521 per 100,000
  • Ford F-150
    10,102 per 100,000
  • Toyota Camry
    9,833 per 100,000
  • Honda CR-V
    9,809 per 100,000
  • Nissan Altima
    8,445 per 100,000

Theft rates shown per 100,000 vehicles

Check if Your Vehicle is Stolen

What Happens if Your Car is Stolen?

Finding out your vehicle has been stolen is a heartbreaking situation, and you may be confused about it, amongst other feelings. For a better chance at recovering your vehicle, follow these simple steps:
Check if Your Vehicle is Stolen

Stolen VIN Check Databases

Stolen vehicle data is compiled and stored in a variety of law enforcement and private databases. Some of the major stolen vehicle databases include:
  • National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
  • National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS).
  • National Stolen Vehicle Database (NSVD).
  • FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC).
  • State and Local Law Enforcement Databases.
These records are regularly updated and used by authorities to track stolen cars. When you use our VIN check tool, you're accessing data from these major databases to ensure that the vehicle you're interested in has no stolen history.

More Helpful VIN Tools

We have more tools to help you research any vehicle and make smart buying and selling decisions every time.

Check if a Car is Stolen By VIN Number Now

Protect yourself from potential risks. Enter VIN to instantly check if a vehicle has been reported stolen before making a purchase.
Check for Stolen Vehicles Now

Frequently Asked Questions About Stolen VIN Check

If someone steals your VIN number, they may attempt to clone your car. This means they could create fake documents and sell a car that looks identical to yours. Report the theft immediately to your local authorities so they can flag your VIN and prevent fraud.
Yeah, usually, a stolen car loses a lot of its value, even after recovery. Usually, people are skeptical when buying cars that have been previously stolen, and it may be quite difficult to resell. A clean history will always add value to your car.
Yes, you can easily trace a VIN number using the right tools. VINs are often traced to access stolen records, accident records, ownership history, sales, auction records, and more. This is why checking the VIN before you buy is so important. Find out whether a vehicle has been marked as stolen by the police.
The odds of finding a stolen vehicle depend on how soon the theft was reported, where the vehicle was taken, and whether it was found in a location where stolen cars are easily tracked. Just remember to act quickly to improve the chances of recovery if your vehicle is stolen.
Yes, you can check if a vehicle has been stolen by using our stolen car VIN lookup tool. Just enter the 17-digit VIN to check for reported theft and other hidden records like title brands, lien records, odometer roll back, accidents and more. You won’t get all these records with  free stolen VIN check like NICB VINCheck.