Warr Acres police warn of VIN-swapping scheme in stolen car sales

Warr Acres police are alerting the public about a VIN-swapping scheme involving stolen cars, urging buyers to be cautious when purchasing vehicles online. 
KOCO, By Meghan Mosley, August 6, 2025

WARR ACRES, Okla. – Warr Acres police are warning the public about a VIN-swapping scheme involving stolen cars, urging buyers to be cautious when purchasing vehicles online.

Major Jason Allen with the Warr Acres Police Department explained the scheme.

"They are taking stolen vehicles and basically swapping or cloning VINs on those vehicles. And then the vehicle gets registered and sold as a normal car,” Allen said.

The department has seen a rise in this crime, recovering three stolen vehicles with fake vehicle identification numbers in recent months.

"You definitely don’t see it driving down the street and guess that it's that; it takes research on that vehicle. Certain things that may stand out to law enforcement officers that they start digging into deeper the history,” Allen said.

To combat the issue, Warr Acres police are partnering with the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

They emphasize the importance of checking the car's history, as buying a stolen vehicle online could make the buyer appear as a suspect.

"These vehicles are sold for a much cheaper price than what they should be, and that would be something someone can watch out for,” Allen said.

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