Cartotrade, the online trading community, has launched a Stolen Vehicle Alert system in a bid to help dealers recover cars and prevent others buying them.
This new feature is part of the company’s recently released app, where dealers get instant trading opportunity notifications.
Kevin Watson, managing director of Cartotrade said of the launch: ‘Some of our members have suggested the idea to us and having worked in dealerships for over 30 years myself, I know the pain and frustration of vehicles being stolen from the forecourt.
‘All the hassle of claiming and having to absorb the extortionate insurance excesses into the bottom line.
‘It makes total sense for us to offer Stolen Vehicle Alerts as we already have contact with the UK dealer network.
‘Now that we have successfully developed our Cartotrade app with instant trading opportunity notifications, we see it as a natural add on benefit.’
The Home Office has said that there were 101,198 vehicles reported stolen in 2021 equating to 277 each day, up on previous years with both keyless entry and a shortage of parts believed to be contributing to the increase.
Recovery rates are at an all-time low too, with just 28 per cent being returned.
Watson added: ‘If it helps dealers recover vehicles stolen from their forecourts or prevents them buying a stolen vehicle, then we have done our job.
‘We’re offering the service to all verified UK dealers, you simply need to register with us and download the app to benefit from it.’
To access the Stolen Vehicle Alerts or the Cartotrade platform, dealers should visit www.cartotrade.com.
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