How to check if a vehicle is stolen for free?

Here are some tips to check if a vehicle is stolen for free:

1. Run a VIN Check There are many websites like VinCheck.info that provide free VIN number searches to see if a vehicle has been reported stolen. Enter the 17 digit VIN and the database will indicate if it has any stolen vehicle records associated with it.
2. Check the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) The NICB works with insurers and police authorities to track and flag stolen vehicle records. You can perform a free VIN check through their VinCheck tool to uncover any related theft history reports if it was insured at the time of incident.
3. Contact the Police Department Reach out to the law enforcement agency in the area where the car is being sold from and provide them with the VIN. They can run it through their regional and national stolen vehicle databases to double check it’s not on a theft records list.
4. Check State DMV Records Call the Department of Motor Vehicles for the state the vehicle is registered in and inquire if they show any title records indicating it has been flagged as stolen. Provide VIN details. State DMVs track titles brands related to theft.
5. Inspect the VIN Carefully
   Physical signs like tampered plates, mismatched numbers and very poor condition around the VIN etching areas could hint that a stolen vehicle VIN was attempted to be modified or obscured. Test drive and inspect thoroughly.

Leveraging free online vehicle history checks using the VIN along with checking in with state DMV and law enforcement stolen car databases can help uncover if vehicle theft is associated with a particular VINs history. Do your due diligence before purchasing any used vehicle.