NICB and Law Enforcement Join Forces to Recover Vehicle

An individual reached out to NICB and Texas law enforcement regarding a 2023 GMC Sierra he owned.  He reported having issues renewing his vehicle registration as the Texas DMV notified him his vehicle was reportedly registered in California under the same VIN.  In addition, the owner reported receiving California toll bills in the mail with photos showing his Texas license plate.  The owner stated he had owned the vehicle for a few years, but had never taken it to California, thus he had disputed the toll charges.

After conducting research on the information provided by the owner, the NICB advised him to bring his vehicle to the local Texas DMV Office for an inspection to determine the identity of the vehicle.  The inspection revealed the vehicle is, in fact, the true vehicle.

The NICB and local Texas law enforcement contacted California law enforcement to advise them of the situation.  They agreed to drive by a residence which had been identified as a possible location of interest to see if they could locate a vehicle matching the description of the one in Texas.  A vehicle was located and recovered.  It was determined that the California vehicle was a VIN-switch.

This investigation shows the importance of NICB’s relationships with law enforcement and how working together, we can resolve cases of auto theft and insurance fraud impacting our Member Companies.