National Theft Database???

[Dan Pepper]

A friend recently told me of a national database used by law enforcement and insurance companies that recorded VIN's from when cars were originally sold at a dealership. He said there was a Restorer article on this a few years back.

I have the Restorer CD, but recently switched to Mac, so it won't read the CD. Anybody out there able to send me a copy of the article? If this is real, I have family in law enforcement, and they may be able to run the numbers of my car on their lunch hour.

[Tom H.]

Re: National Theft Database???

Your friend in law enforcement should be able to access the data base. I believe it is NCIC. They will be familiar with it, I'm sure.

[Tom H.]

Re: National Theft Database???

From their website.

National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
National Crime Information Center
Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, West Virginia 26306
Hours of Service: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Telephone: (304) 625-2000

[Phil P.]

NICB has the data used by ins.co's & law enforce *NM*

[Chuck G.]

Re: National Theft Database???

I believe that law enforcement officers, etc. need a case number etc to access this info.

MANY years ago this info was available, till somebody published it in a national magazine. After that, there was a crackdown.

After the crackdown, law enforcement people could do it for you, but then they cracked down on them too, requiring a case number, court number, etc.

There used to be a private investigator, FourCee investigations in New York who used to advertise their services for access to the NICB, but they quit advertising a number of years ago.

Bottom line is that I don't think this info is accessible anymore.

Chuck

[Tom H.]

Re: National Theft Database???

Chuck is right on this. Not just anybody, anwhere can get to this info.

[Rick S.]

Re: National Theft Database???

I retired 10 yrs ago from a suburban Detroit Dept and that time when running a VIN thru our state system it automatically queried the NCIC files and no compliant number was required. I still believe the same rules apply today because all patrol cars have in-car computers. In the days before in-car computers you would have to radio in any requests for a check on a plate or VIN. Now the patrol officer can check numerous plates without bothering the dispatcher to run a plate or VIN. Before I retired the younger guys would be running checks on 50-75 cars in a shift and if they needed a complaint number it would have created too many problems to generate a complaint number. A complaint number is needed for a NCIB inquiry, which is an entire different system.

[Joe L.]

Re: National Theft Database???

Rick-----

I think that the NCIB Inquiry is the only one that would generate the information that anyone here would be most interested in.

[Rick S.]

Re: National Theft Database???

Joe,
I agree but I saw Tom mention NCIC and wanted everyone to know the procedures and that to access NCIB, the department has to have an active case and complaint number. A casual inquiry to NCIB doesn't work.

Rick

[Vinnie P.]

NCRS Past History

From the Archives...and still holds true...

I have tried on a number of occasions to get NICB to release their records to our members. Our letters have gone unanswered. I also tried another company similar to NICB to no avail. The letters I have sent were on official NCRS letterheads, representing the organization as the VP.

On the law enforcement issue, I am a retired detective from a large police dept. in NY. I have used NICB in the past on certain investigations. The only information they have is the date the car was shipped from GM and the NAME and city of the dealer the car was shipped to. In conversations with them, they say they don't have any records as far as options etc.

Previous posts have indicated that you need a case number on an active investigation to receive information, this is true. Having been involved in the NCRS prior to retirement, it was always tempting to use them to get information on a car or cars that I had an interest in, but it wasn't worth taking the chance of jeopardizing my position. Since I retired I have been led to beleive that departments now pay a fee each time they use the service for each and every V.I.N. and I don't think that myself or anyone in a position that has access to the service would want to abuse the privilege and possible consequences.

[Kenneth B.]

Re: NCRS Past History

I have had 2 Corvettes traced by the NATB about 10 years ago. I had a friend who was a state cop. He said that he had to get a a guy that worked auto theft to get the info. so I agree with the above post. Also he is right about only getting the dealer it was shiped to. I was told this was to locate a car that was stolen befor it was titled. If it was not titled running a serial# would not help. With knowing the dealer to where it was going thay had a place to start. At the time I got my Corvetts checked it was callad National Auto Theft Bureau. Why don't they want to publish this I don't know.

KEN BARRY 7808

[Brett H.]

Re: NCRS Past History

Last Spring, I bought car #067. Before I did so, I had a friend, who is a police officer, run the vin on the NCIC to make sure it had never been reported stolen. He did it himself and runs vins or me anytime I think about buying an old project or 53.

Works well.