NCJ Number
179540
Date Published
1999
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This report presents findings from a General Accounting Office investigation of U.S. Customs Service's efforts to curtail the exportation of stolen vehicles from the United States.
Abstract
The investigation included a review of applicable regulations for exporting used, self-propelled vehicles from the United States; Customs policies and procedures for controlling the export of these vehicles; methods used to illegally export these vehicles; and improvements in operations being considered by Customs. Current and proposed treaties that deal with the repatriation of stolen vehicles are also discussed. Investigators visited selected ports in Florida, Texas, and California to observe the current operating process for the exportation of used, self-propelled vehicles. Customs headquarters officials were interviewed. At the ports visited, Customs operations complied with regulatory procedures for exporting used, self-propelled vehicles by reviewing the documentation of ownership and inspecting the vehicles presented for export to ensure that they were the vehicles described in the documentation. To circumvent Customs vehicle exportation procedures, thieves have used false documents as proof of vehicle ownership. They have also altered vehicle identification numbers, switched vehicles after inspection of the identification numbers, hidden vehicles in containers, and driven vehicles across border crossings without reporting them. In order to deter the export of stolen vehicles, Customs has published proposed amendments to its regulations in the Federal Register. These amendments limit the type of document that can be used to establish proof of a vehicle's ownership and would permit only an original or certified copy of title or an original manufacturer's statement of origin as proof of ownership. In addition, Customs officials, State and Federal law enforcement agencies, and the insurance industry are exploring methods to curtail the export of stolen vehicles. The State Department has been negotiating bilateral treaties with several countries to alleviate the difficulty that owners of stolen vehicles face when their vehicles have been transported across international borders. A list of existing and proposed treaties are included in this report.