The tactic used by criminals to steal financed cars from Britain – with many ending up in Romania and Bulgaria

Criminal gangs are using a devious tactic to steal financed cars from Britain and are then transporting them to different parts of Europe, we can reveal.

The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) told This is Money that it has prevented the theft of – or returned – 320 stolen financed motors since 2021 with the support of HPI Check data. 

The team has found and returned vehicles worth £9.6million, with Romania and Bulgaria accounting for 60 per cent of the value seized. 

The NaVCIS is funded by the Finance and Leasing Association and has one role: to track down and recover stolen finance vehicles.

The aim is to take down large-scale illegal operations using different strategies to pinch motors. 

Members of criminal gangs will take out vehicles on hire purchase agreements in their own name. Before defaulting on payments, they fit the cars with false plates to avoid detection.

Others fraudulently take out finance using a false identity. The vehicles leave the UK through ferries, shipping containers and the channel tunnel. 

The team has found and returned vehicles worth £9.6m, with Romania and Bulgaria accounting for 60% of the value seized. The NaVCIS is working with forces in these countries to identify pinched UK models

However, HPI Check has been supporting the intelligence service with its own vehicle data, which is made available to European Law Enforcement to aid in identifying stolen motors. 

When vehicles are being re-registered in the destination country, the vital intelligence and data provided by the NaVCIS and HPI Check flags if these are stolen UK cars.

If identified, they can be seized by local police and returned to their rightful UK finance companies. 

The tactic is just one that’s been highlighted by the operation in recent years, which is developing a list of best practices to help overcome the increase in vehicle finance crime.

Over 5,000 vehicles in the UK and abroad, with a combined value of more than £75million, have been recovered since operations began in 2007. 

Members of criminal gangs take out vehicles on hire purchase agreements in their own name or using a false identity

Sharon Naughton, head of NaVCIS, said: ‘These are complex crimes operating across international borders, and it requires the tireless work of the NaVCIS team of experts, alongside partners across Europe, to identify and seize these vehicles. 

‘Our data partnership with HPI is essential to the process, which is time critical to prevent onward transit of stolen cars, reducing opportunities for seizure and allows vehicles to be checked for outstanding finance, theft and a wide range of other factors.’ 

Following the success of the operation, other foreign police services have expressed an interest in cooperating with NaVCIS.

Jon Clay, data director at HPI, added: ‘Advanced technology ensures that our data is updated in real-time, and we’re pleased to support the vital work undertaken by NaVCIS.’