The Numbers Game: Decoding VINs

Volume 2 / Edition 3

This Week; Focus On: The Numbers Game: Decoding VINs

Generally, a police officer references an automobile's VIN from the owner's/driver's registration. It's an extraordinary Police Officer that actually physically checks the VIN on the car's body.

Quite often, situations have occurred wherein a wrong digit was entered on a police accident report, leading to delays in moving the file along. Also, as recently occurred in one matter: the defendant driver had altered the VIN on the insurance card (most likely thinking, as wonderfully creative criminal minds can, that this would allow him to escape detection and responsibility). This, of course, led to a deeper probe into the driver's identity and it was uncovered that he actually had a record for possessing forged instruments. Better to know at the outset of a case.

A unique site now offers VIN decoders as well as links to each State's DMV office.

http://www.vehicleidentificationnumber.com/vehicle_identification_numbers_vin_detail.html

BNI investigators: Street smart; net savvy.

I look forward to any comments you may have or and questions I can answer for you.

Sincerely,

Lina M. Maini
Editor, The Beacon Bulletin
CEO, Beacon Network Investigations, Inc.