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In Illinois, a replacement VIN tag must be installed by an Illinois State trooper. (One calls the local barracks, makes an appointment, and he comes to your place of business.) The rivets that hold the plate in place are tamper proof, and a cop is instructed to note the state of the rivets on the VIN tag if he pulls someone over.
A new VIN plate was installed in the door jam, after a Level 3 inspection at the DMV. The new plate was rivited on, and is not coming off unless you pry it off.
I am surprised the VIN tag was riveted to the door jam. The VIN tag is where it is behind the windshield because then it is visible to the cop from the outside, without his asking you for permission to inspect the car. He has to ask you, and you can say no. Without a warrant and without your permission, he can't legally search your car unless he has evidence that a crime has been committed. At least that's what I've been told.
I'm not a cop but I think if he saw a removed VIN tag from the dash, that would give him probable cause to search for evidence of VIN tampering or evidence of VIN replacement (ie placing it in the door)
Last edited by SVTLightning; 08-24-2009 at 10:35 AM..
I'm not a cop but I think if he saw a removed VIN tag from the dash, that would give him probable cause to search for evidence of VIN tampering or evidence of VIN replacement (ie placing it in the door)
I have no problem opening my door to let a cop seemy VIN plate, but I don't think it's enough for him to justify a search of my vehicle.
That is where many vehicles replacement Vins are placed. You really shopuld have gone to the police departt auto theft division as most DMV employees are clerks not investigators.They handle paperwork.Its no probelm getting ownership information on a vehicle by VIN number at all.People do this all the time by paying for one when they do a search on salvage titles for example.
A police officer may search a vehicle if he has probable cause to do so. Seeing a vin that looks tampered with gives him the right to check the numbers which are found at different locations throughout the vehicle these days, not just on the vin plate by the windshield and the door jam. The vin numbers on modern vehicles are also stamped on the chassis. In the late 60's and early 70's vehicle manufacturers also started putting the vin on the engines which is one of the reasons why having a "matching numbers" vehicle to classic car collectors is so important and not all that easy to come by which makes the "matching numbers" cars more valuable to them.
I went to the DMV today, I was there for almost 3 hours. I had to get a Level II inspection, done by a officer. Took almost 45 minutes just to make sure my vehicle wasn't stolen, the VIN wasn't enough they had to get serial numbers from the engine/tranny, among other things.
Turns out this Victor guy took out a bond, and had his vehicle registered, which canceled out my registration. He claimed there was no title for this vehicle. I think the guy just got suckered into buying a stolen vehicle, or is dumb enough to still have it if he stole it.
I got it all straightened out, DPS was sent to his house, I should be hearing from them this week.
A new VIN plate was installed in the door jam, after a Level 3 inspection at the DMV. The new plate was rivited on, and is not coming off unless you pry it off.
It's your responsibility to compare the VIN on the title & the car to make sure they match before buying.
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