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November 26, 2007
Support Of Terrorism Via Vehicle Theft Can Go On Unabated As National Motor Vehicle Title Information System Is Not To Be Mandatory (Updated)
Topics: War on TerrorThe National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS - a DOJ information system) is to go into effect in 2008. The system designed to provide states with the ability and reliably verify the titling, theft, and damage history of a motor vehicle before a new title is issued - and would have a significant effect on auto theft and the exportation of "hot" cars to the Middle East in support of terrorism.
Unfortunately, it's not mandatory. This is incredible negligence on the part of the DOJ. What effect can be expected if the system isn't mandatory?
The NMVTIS had a meeting in March of 2007 with the DOJ and the FBI Major Theft Unit to encourage all 50 States to participate in the ID program, however, why this program is not mandatory is hard to explain - the DOJ is seeking State DMV applications from those that wish to participate.
Bill Warner points out in an email that before NMVTIS, a thief could steal a car, then take it over the state line and get a valid title by presenting fraudulent ownership documentation. Alternatively, the thief could steal a car, switch the VIN plate for one from a junked car, and get a valid title for the stolen car. These activities were possible because the states had no instant, reliable way of validating the information on the ownership documentation prior to issuing the new title. These techniques, which exploit the fact that state title information systems are not connected to one another, pave the way for major crimes that can impact a state, a region, or the nation - and terrorism related to car theft and title fraud. According to Interpol, vehicle crime is a highly organized criminal activity affecting the whole world. It has been clearly established that it is often linked to organized crime and terrorism. The vehicles are not only stolen for their own sake; sometimes they are trafficked to finance other crimes. They can also be used as bomb carriers or in the perpetration of other crimes.
As police and insurance investigators have reported, terrorists are using profits from the theft of automobiles to finance their deadly activities:
Some vehicles stolen in North America are turning up in war zones including Iraq, where they can be used by suicide bombers, said Lieut. Greg Terp of the Miami-Dade police department.NMVTIS - if made mandatory - is a powerful tool that will allow for:"They assimilate into the green-zone [in Baghdad], into the American zone. They look like the American cars being utilized and they are being used against our own troops," said Terp, who is also the director of the committee, a group battling the exportation of stolen vehicles.
Terp pointed to a 2004 discovery of a factory in Fallujah in Iraq, where an SUV registered in Texas was being fitted with explosives.
The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is a system that allows an electronic means to verify and exchange titling, brand, and theft data among motor vehicle administrators, law enforcement officials, prospective purchasers, and insurance carriers. NMVTIS also allows state titling agencies to verify the validity of ownership documents before they issue new titles. NMVTIS also checks to see if the vehicle is reported "stolen"-if so, the states don't issue the new titles. Brands are not lost when the vehicle travels from state to state, because NMVTIS keeps a history of all brands ever applied by any state to the vehicle.
There's a short take-home message here: Make "The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System" mandatory, and do it now - not later.
- State titling agencies to do their jobs to prevent fraudulent use of the title document by verifying the vehicle and title information, information on all brands ever applied to a vehicle, and information on whether the vehicle has been reported stolen-all prior to the titling jurisdiction issuing a new title. The vehicle identification number (VIN) is checked against a national pointer file, which provides the last jurisdiction that issued a title on the vehicle and requests details of the vehicle from that jurisdiction. The details include the latest odometer reading for the vehicle. Verification of this data will allow for a reduction in the issuance of fraudulent titles and a reduction in odometer fraud. Once the inquiring jurisdiction receives the information, it can decide whether to issue a title; if so, NMVTIS notifies the last titling jurisdiction that another jurisdiction has issued a title. The old jurisdiction can then inactivate its title record. This will allow jurisdictions to identify and purge inactive titles on a regular basis.
- Law enforcement to create lists of vehicles, by junk yard, salvage yard, or insurance carrier that are reported as junk or salvage. The Anti-Car Theft Improvements Act of 1996 requires junk yards, salvage yards, and insurance carriers to report monthly to NMVTIS on all junk and salvage vehicles obtained. Law enforcement's inquiries will allow it to use NMVTIS to further its investigations of vehicle theft and fraud.
- Consumers to access information on the vehicle's current title, including brands and odometer, prior to purchasing the vehicle. This allows the consumer to make a better-informed purchase.
Data supported by this system and available to its users include:
- Title data.
- Odometer data.
- Brand history, detailed vehicle, and theft data.,/li>
Related:
Cars stolen in US used in suicide attacks
US car theft rings probed for ties to Iraq bombings
The ability to disguise or clone a VIN number is particularly appealing to terrorist organizations. The first World Trade Center bombing, the Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building bombing, and other incidents have been directly or indirectly solved by tracing VINs. Had these terrorists used a cloned VIN, the crimes may have been exponentially more difficult to solve or perhaps impossible.
Posted by Richard at November 26, 2007 11:13 AM
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