There are many problems and pitfalls associated with buying and selling motor cars. The most obvious concerns are about the condition of the car when buying or about getting the right price when selling but other factors are involved. The following is a true account of a series of car crimes that had a devastating effect on the classic car community.

Points to remember when buying a car
When buying a classic car alwayslook for a history, bills, MoTs, even receipts for parts. Either a service history and definitely in the case of a rebuild, a photographic history, all receipts for work etc. If there is no history of any kind, be very suspicious.

Has the vehicle got a V5 registration document?

Where was the car restored? If at a specialist garage call them to confirm both the restoration and the history of the car.

Beware of vendors insisting on cash.

Consider speaking to the previous keeper to verify history.

Telephone HPI Equifax. They make a charge for this service and their credit line is 01722 422422 for a computer search of stolen registers and undischarged HP debt registers.

Contact the DVLA 01792 772134 and give the registration number for a search to establish if the car has had a registration transfer.

A check can be made on the validity of an MoT certificate on 0891 615977 calls cost 50p a minute and the service provides a check on the serial number of the MoT certificate. This hotline can tell you if the MoT offered with the car for sale is false or stolen. However it can’t tell you if anything has been missed on the MoT test itself.

Buying privately can save you money but the consequences of buying a stolen vehicle can be the loss of both the car and your money.

Three years ago the West Midlands Police successfully concluded an extensive enquiry that eventually led to the arrest and prosecution of a gang of highly skilled and professional classic car thieves who specialised in MGBs. The MGOC were asked to give advice and provide assistance in this case which amounted to a crime wave of stolen MGBs.

How it all began
The enquiry commenced in July 1997, when during the search for stolen property at a suspect’s home a receipt was found for the sale of a re-shelled chrome bumper MGB. This receipt provided a link to a member of the MG Owners’ Club who had originally bought an MGB at a reputable car auction only to have it stolen from his garage some months later. When pursuing the insurance claim our member made contact with the previous owner to clarify certain details for his insurance company. When the vendor offered to sell him another similar MG to replace the stolen car, not suspecting any connection between the vendor and the theft of the first car, our member bought a second MGB from him. Subsequently it was discovered that this second MGB was also a stolen car. This incident was the beginning of a trail that led to the gang of criminals behind the theft of more than 30 vehicles, mainly MGB Roadsters, a Mercedes 250 SL, and several late model cars. It was noted that the vast majority of these vehicles were in concours condition. The MGOC became involved in the difficult task helping the police to reunite all those stolen MGs with their rightful owners.

A complex web
Shortly after the Police had commenced their enquiries two chrome bumpered MGB Roadsters appeared at an auction house in the Midlands. The auctioneers whose vigilance must be commended, became suspicious with the circumstances of the sale and withdrew the vehicles from the auction. As a result of investigating the first incident a complex web of mailing addresses, false names, and the purchase of old vehicle logbooks was discovered. A major breakthrough in the enquiry was the discovery of a safety deposit box held by the car thief. Opening the box revealed details of a number of vehicles already sold by him, a list of vehicles he planned to steal from around the country and the identities of scrapped vehicles he intended to place on other stolen vehicles.

Suspicious character?
What sort of person do you imagine a car thief to be? Do you picture a rough, swarthy brute of a man with a crowbar sticking out of his pocket? Unfortunately, that would be entirely the wrong impression; the thief behind this long chain of stolen cars is entirely plausible. He comes across as a polite, well dressed, affluent family man, who is also knowledgeable and apparently a fellow MG enthusiast.

Easy access
He doesn’t need a crowbar because he already has the keys to the immaculate MGB you recently bought at auction. He has the keys because he rebuilt the MG himself and had a spare set made before he put it up for sale. At the auction he found out who had bought the car and made a note of the new owner’s address. After a few months he can choose the right moment to break into the new owner’s garage and just drive the MG away. Back in his lock-up all the identification numbers will be changed and then the whole process can start again. This was one of the favourite scams adopted by our own MG specialist thief.

Who is coming to view your car?
He also adopts a more direct approach. You want to sell your MG, so you put an advertisement in ‘Enjoying MG’ and wait for the calls to come in. Among the calls is one from a nice man who wants to bring his wife and children to see the car. You invite them in to your home and then take them out into your garage to view the car. While you give the nice man, who acts like a keen prospective buyer a ride in your MG, the wife and children stay behind at your home. The wife asks to use the toilet and consequently gets a quick tour of the upstairs of your house. On return from the test drive, after a chat and a look at any documents or photos, the pleasant family group climb back into their quality saloon, Mercedes, BMW or similar and drive off into the distance and you don’t hear from them again. But the nice man does come back, because now he knows where the MG is kept, what security devices are fitted to it and what security you have in your garage and also your home. He probably also knows what you and your partner do for a living, how often you are away and when is the best time for him to call. Be in no doubt, he will return and armed with all this useful information he will take your MG away with him. If you do have an alarm system and the thief knows what type it is, he can come prepared with all the equipment necessary to bypass the alarm. Unwittingly you have helped him to achieve this end.

A question of identity
Remember that to break into and start a classic MG takes only a few minutes, this can usually be accomplished without damaging the vehicle. The identity of an MGB can be changed in approximately five minutes, the number plates can be switched and the riveted chassis number plates replaced. Once this has been done, your much-loved MG is almost impossible to identify. All this combined with the growing interest in classic cars, gave our MG specialist thief, a brief but glorious spree of stealing and selling stolen MGs during which time he accumulated a great deal of money.

Nationwide operation
He reckoned without the vigilance of the West Midlands Police however who followed through the first offence to unearth the whole appalling business. Our MG thief had worked the entire country, travelling long distances to locate and steal good quality classics. He was fussy, had a good eye for MGs and only took the very best. However, he finally ended up in prison but the British legal system being what it is, he has recently completed his sentence. His approach was very successful and others are bound to try and emulate him. Therefore, if you are selling a car always be wary and cautious, follow the rules below and if you are at all suspicious, then do not proceed with the deal.

Points to remember when selling a car
If you are selling an MG or other desirable classic car then observe the following rules:

1. Do not give your address to people who telephone about the vehicle, unless you have their home telephone number.

2. Always have the car outside when buyers come to call and do not allow strangers to see inside your garage to observe the security measures or lack of them. Do not tell them exactly where the car is kept overnight.

3. Do not reveal vital information about any security alarms fitted to your car until after the deal has been completed.

4. Be wary of all prospective buyers and do not be taken in by the innocent family group, the events described above are real.

5. Avoid giving away either directly or indirectly any information about your house alarms or security systems.

6. Do not reveal your work patterns or other times when you are away from home.

7. Mark your car. Have the chassis number stamped into the shell in several different places, inner wings, chassis rails and floor section are ideal. Have a security trace system fitted such as Data Tag and Micro Dot. At the very least conceal something unique to you inside your car, a business card or similar slipped inside the seat trim or beneath the carpet or under the sound insulation.

8. Fit a high quality alarm or immobiliser.

9. Even if your car is safely locked in a garage, still remember to activate whatever security system you have.

10. Ensure that the locks and fastenings on your garage doors and windows are of the best quality. Make it really hard for the thief to gain entry.

11. Do not keep the V5 and documents relating to the car either in the vehicle, tempting at the time of sale, or even in a filing cabinet in the garage.

12. Check your insurance. Many of the cars stolen were not adequately covered and the owners were extremely lucky that the police recovered the cars in such good condition. You can arrange a policy for a car that is laid up, which will cover you against theft. This type of policy is usually very reasonably priced.

Police observations
The police officers involved in the enquiry noted that much of the success of our MG con-man car thief was that he was targeting a group of people who were usually from a professional background, friendly, enthusiastic and quite unprepared for dealing with the dishonest members of society. The trusting nature of the average MG owner made it far too easy for the thief to gain all the inside information he needed. The police also observed that the limited security measures taken by owners had proved ineffective in preventing the theft of their vehicles. However, one aspect of this case that caused a major headache for the police was trying to identify those vehicles they had recovered from the thieves. They stressed again that members should always make their MGs identifiable. Not only by marking the car openly with window etching but also with hidden systems such as Data Tag. Remember that thieves can remove identifiable items, however hidden extra security devices or secret markings are extremely hard to locate and remove! As an extra security precaution, take a set of clear detailed photos of your car, the police found that engine bay shots were particularly helpful when identification was necessary. If your car has any distinguishing modifications take a photo, if may prove to be invaluable when tracing the vehicle and proving ownership.

Acknowledgements
In the course of their enquiry all the investigating officers from the West Midlands Police were particularly impressed by the valuable assistance they received from British Car Auctions, H & H Car Auctions and the MG Owners’ Club, they would like to thank these companies for their valuable co-operation and professional integrity.

Conclusion
These unfortunate events do not mean that you cannot buy and sell MGs privately but when dealing with strangers it is important to take every precaution against thieves however they present themselves. It is tempting to believe that we would always be able to detect the criminal character but this type of thief is extremely professional, so stick to the rules and always be cautious.

SECURITY SYSTEMS

DATATAG
Employs hidden transponders which are tiny capsules that can store coded data about the ownership of your car and these are so small that they can be concealed anywhere, inside interior trim or even in engine parts. When a stolen car is recovered the police can easily scan the vehicle and the transponders will reveal the details of ownership. Datatag can be contacted by telephone on 01295 272707 or faxed on 01295 272853.

ALPHA-DOT
Applies a similar concept but instead uses tiny micro dots, so small that they can be suspended in a liquid solution and then painted anywhere on your car. Each dot contains a special PIN or personal identification number unique to you. For more detailed information about Alpha-Dot telephone 0345 573329.

UVIOLA SAFEMARK
Combines various surface marking techniques and impossible to remove without severely damaging the surface that it has been applied to, like the others it is backed up by a central database. You can find out more by visiting their web site http://www.uviola.com

RETAINACAR
Is another system that combines several different ways of marking a car to provide added protection, some visible such as window etching and special stickers used in combination with concealed markings. You can find out more about this system by telephoning Retainagroup on 0181 870 2224.

TRACKSTAR RAC
A fully intergrated satellite based emergency tracking and security system by contacting the RAC on 0808 100 9991 or www.ractrackstar.com

When it comes to changing your car, all these systems can be adapted to accommodate the legitimate sale and transfer of a vehicle.