1:29 pm, February 6, 2026
Car Dealer founder James Baggott has appeared on BBC Morning Live to warn car buyers about the growing threat of vehicle cloning, following the case of a man unwittingly bought back his own stolen car.
The consumer programme, which aired on BBC 1 on Feb 5, highlighted the story of 36-year-old Ewan Valentine, whose ‘midlife crisis’ car, a Honda Civic Type R, was stolen from outside his home in February last year.
CCTV footage captured thieves driving it away overnight, leaving Valentine devastated. ‘It was a real sinking feeling – it was quite heartbreaking,’ he told presenter and former detective Rav Wilding, explaining that he relied on the car to visit his parents, including his father who has a terminal diagnosis.
After reporting the theft and making an insurance claim, Valentine began searching for a replacement car. He soon found what appeared to be an identical Type R – same model, colour and specification – at a garage.
‘It was uncannily familiar – my brain was saying that there was no way that this could be my car. I went through with the purchase.’
It was only after returning home that doubts grew.
Scratches matched damage he remembered causing himself, ‘Christmas tree pine needles’ were still embedded in the carpet, and even a single tent peg from a previous festival trip was still lodged under a seat.
Further checks revealed that despite VIN plates being tampered, with the car’s original VIN was still stored in the infotainment system, proving it was his stolen vehicle, but now given a new identity.
The case exposed how criminal gangs clone vehicles by removing original registration plates and VINs, replacing them with details from written-off or unroadworthy cars.
Appearing on the programme, Baggott urged used car buyers to be vigilant. ‘First thing you need to look at is the paperwork,’ he said. ‘Check the V5. If it looks like it’s been photocopied, you need to be worried.’
He stressed the importance of checking VIN numbers in multiple locations.
‘They’re printed in a number of places on vehicles – underneath the windscreen, in the door jam, and other places in the car. You need to check them against official records,’ he said. ‘If any of the numbers have been ground-down or there are strange marks, these are tell-tale signs that this vehicle may have been tampered with and something dodgy may have been happening.’
Baggott advised buyers to reduce risk by purchasing from reputable dealers.
‘If I were buying a used car, I would always buy from a recognised dealer,’ he said, recommending checks of online reviews and credentials. For private purchases, he warned protection is ‘far, far more reduced’, adding: ‘It’s worth the £20 or £30 investment in a car history check, and if it feels dodgy, walk away.’
The programme also highlighted theft prevention measures, including steering wheel locks, motion sensors, CCTV and GPS trackers.
