HPI warns used car dealers to be aware of the dangers of buying a stolen vehicle, as it reveals nearly 31 stolen vehicles are uncovered by HPI Checks every day.

The latest figures from HPI also show that of the vehicles it uncovered as stolen, nearly a third were between one and three years old. In addition, buyers based in the Midlands were the most likely to do a history check on a stolen vehicle (nearly one in five), with the north west of England (one in six) and East Anglia (one in seven) also claiming their fair share of finding vehicles that turn out to be stolen.

“Unsurprisingly, our figures show that newer cars are the most appealing for thieves,” says Daniel Burgess, automotive director for HPI. “Criminals stealing vehicles and attempting to sell them on remains one of the most serious problems for used car buyers. In many cases, stolen vehicles are cloned, where its identity is changed to match that of a legitimate vehicle. This makes them appear legitimate, when in reality, they are anything but.

“It is crucial dealers remain vigilant against the threat of buying a stolen car. We constantly remind car buyers that they can keep criminals at bay by taking several simple steps and dealers should equally be following these.”