A New Form of Cloning: Car Cloning
Car theft has taken a new spin of creativity. Now thieves don't actually have to steal your car because they can clone it. In some cases, the thieves may not even have ever been in physical contact with your car.
How It Works
What happens when a car is cloned is that its identity is duplicated. This is done by copying the vehicle's plate number, and putting it onto another car which is similar in model, color and other recognizable traits. The owner of the original car may not actually know that his or her car has been cloned, until something out of the ordinary happens.
Thieves can also get your license details from the internet or by phoning someone. It's much easier than you might imagine to get car license plate details. There are even some legitimate companies which offer this kind of service, and they do not ask for information such as proof of address or driver's license when doing so. All they need is a mailing address and a credit card number. This makes car cloning even more difficult to detect.
What Happens When You're a Victim
In a case reported in the UK, John Cahill's ‘carbon copy' car was used as a getaway vehicle in an armed robbery. Imagine his utter shock when the police surrounded his residence and he was named as a prime suspect. He was only let off the hook after a grueling interrogation when the authorities found out about his car being cloned. Car cloning can happen all around the world including in America.
In other cases, car owners found out they were a victim of the crime when they received random parking fines, speeding fines or the theft of fuel from garage forecourts.
How to Insure Yourself Against Car Cloning
To prevent this form of crime from escalating, both the authorities and the public have to be educated. Vehicle owners should not take it lightly if they find that their plate numbers have been stolen. The police should be contacted immediately upon discovering such an act.
Most of the companies nowadays specialize in security marking and registration services, and also underline a few other methods which include securing registration plates with clutch-head screws that make them difficult to take off. There is also a manufacturer that produces plate numbers that break when it is removed from the vehicle. Use a mechanic you trust, preferably one that has been recommended by a family member or friend.
Car cloning is a practice that is difficult to stop, and that makes it all the more important for you to always keep a lookout for suspicious activities involving your car.
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