How do you know if the vehicle you’re looking to buy is stolen or not? In South Africa, where we have a high vehicle crime rate, the probability of buying a stolen car is relatively high. The number one thing to check is the vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Buying a car in South Africa comes with a lot of concerns for motorists, from worrying if you're buying a high-risk vehicle to if you're buying a stolen one. But fret not, because you can easily check if the car you're buying has been stolen, and with Cartrack we can make sure you never have to worry about your car getting stolen in the first place!
The simplest way to check if a car, or any vehicle for that matter, has been stolen is to check the VIN. This is a unique code which every single vehicle has, and none of them are the same, almost like a fingerprint! These codes are made up of 17 numbers and capital letters.
*If you’re buying a vehicle that was made BEFORE 1981, the VIN can vary between 11 and 17 characters.
Now if you’re wondering if it’s necessary to check if a vehicle has been stolen before you buy it, then read this. Between the months of January and March of 2026, 6,945 vehicles and motorcycles were stolen in South Africa. This staggering amount makes you wonder how many of these cars that weren’t recovered are currently on the market for unsuspecting buyers.
If you don’t know where the VIN is located, check on the following:
There are plenty of online sites you can use to check if a VIN or engine number is correct and matches the vehicle's registration papers or if the car was stolen.
There are a couple of popular sites you can use, such as:
NaTIS is a South African digital platform containing the data of every vehicle in SA. This website is a great way to check if a used car is stolen because it’s the most comprehensive database for South Africans.
Once you're on the site, you’ll have to either log in or create an account to gain access to specific data. As soon as you have access, you can:
The best way to check if a used car is stolen is to simply go to the police station. Anyone who has the vehicle stolen has to go open a case with SAPS. This means they have the most up-to-date database of stolen vehicles.
You’ll need to provide them with the licence plate number, engine number, and VIN, and they’ll be able to check if the car you’re interested in has been stolen or not. You’ll also get insights if this car has been stolen or hijacked in the past, allowing you to make a much more informed decision before you purchase it.
One thing you should always do before buying any car is double-check all vehicle documentation. Car thieves are clever, so they’re probably going to alter the car’s documentation. They can do this in a few different ways. One of the main ways they do this is by buying a similar car from a junk yard, and using the documentation from that vehicle for the stolen one you want to purchase.
To avoid this trap, request the following from the seller:
*Cartrack tip: You should also check that the VIN and engine number match the vehicle documentation the seller gives you!
Another way to check a vehicle has been stolen is to look for any signs of tampering.
Check if:
By checking for all of these things, you can ensure you're not about to purchase a stolen vehicle.
There are reputable sites like TransUnion that can provide you with complete and thorough vehicle history reports. You can receive reports on police checks, legal ownership details and whether any money is owed on the vehicle.
According to the TransUnion website, their database gets updated daily from SAPS and is supported by NAAMSA, RMO and the South African Council of Banks.
*Check out this video on how to confirm if a second-hand car is stolen:
So unfortunately, in South Africa, you won't be able to tell if a car has been stolen simply by its number plate. Only the police would know which number plate to look out for when they’re alerted to a car being stolen.
In South Africa it’s a crime to purchase stolen goods, and if the police catch you driving a stolen car, you could be held liable. So if you find out after you’ve purchased the car that it’s a stolen vehicle, get all the documents of the vehicle and of the purchase and immediately report it to your nearest police station.
Making sure that you’re not buying a stolen car is very important, but making sure your car doesn’t get stolen is the other half of the equation. And this is where Cartrack comes in. We have an impressive track record when it comes to stolen vehicle recovery and top-of-the-range technology to keep your vehicle safe.
One of the best things to protect your car from theft is a GPS tracker. And not just any one off the internet, but one from a reliable company that has years and years of experience and can offer you round-the-clock support.
Cartrack has been in this industry since 2004, and our GPS trackers are used across the globe! Our units are built to withstand the harshest environments and installed very discreetly so that not even you, the owner of the car, will know where it is.
When you sign up with Cartrack, we have features such as:
Every South African with a car needs SVR. With Cartrack, you’ll have a highly trained in-house recovery team who proactively works with SAPS and external security companies to ensure your vehicle has a higher chance of recovery.
Car thieves have technology to help them out now, so they’re able to block your signal when you lock your car, keeping it unlocked as you walk away. Then they’ll use a device to jam your tracking device if you have one.
This is why we created the Cartrack Tag. This little device works on its own radio frequency and is immune to signal jamming. With this device in your car, you’ll have a secret layer of protection that car thieves with jammers can’t thwart!
Every modern vehicle has limp mode. It’ll slow your car down to a crawl and prevent it from moving at high speeds. This is usually in place to protect your vehicle's engine in the case of a mechanical failure. At Cartrack we can activate your car’s limp mode remotely in case of theft.
If there’s one thing everyone has with them at all times, it’s their cellphone. Which is why Cartrack has a mobile app. From this app you can activate CarWatch and Protector. You can also see your vehicle's live GPS location at all times, and you can share it with your friends and family!
Learn how to check if a vehicle is stolen in South Africa. Explore tips to safeguard your car and how Cartrack can help protect it against theft.
