In terms of making property inquiries, what is true about searching by vehicle identification number (VIN)?

Searching by vehicle identification number (VIN) is a crucial method in law enforcement for various inquiries, particularly for identifying stolen vehicles. Each VIN is unique to a vehicle, providing essential details such as the manufacturer, model, and year of manufacture, along with important information related to ownership and theft status. This specificity allows law enforcement officers to effectively verify whether a vehicle is reported as stolen by cross-referencing the VIN against databases that track vehicle thefts.

Utilizing the VIN also overcomes potential issues related to incomplete or incorrect license plate information. In scenarios where license plates may be obscured, damaged, or potentially fraudulent, a VIN search provides a reliable alternative means to ascertain vehicle ownership and theft status. Thus, VIN searches are not only legitimate but essential in the realm of vehicle inquiries in law enforcement efforts.