It is estimated that 75% of all crimes are committed with a vehicle and vehicles are used in 2/3 of abductions.  Whether it is a robbery, kidnapping, homicide, terrorism, auto theft trafficking, or any other crime, it is important for a police officer to be able to identify the vehicle they are interacting with or know the steps necessary to identify it.

Auto Theft & Vehicle Crimes will introduce police officers to vehicle identification number (“VIN”) structure, locations (public, secondary, other), and methods to determine the true VIN of a vehicle.  Auto Theft & Vehicle Crimes provides instruction on CARFAX for Police and other resources to verify the validity and history of a vehicle’s VIN. Students will build the knowledge to articulate discrepancies found on a target vehicle’s VIN markings as they relate to the probable cause needed to further their investigation into that specific vehicle. The instructor will use video and photographs to demonstrate secondary VIN locations and common VIN altering techniques. Students will also learn about tools and equipment that may assist in identifying vehicles.