Ontario plans public safety legislation targeting stolen vehicle registration schemes [Video]

The Ford government is set to introduce stiff penalties for thieves who rip off legitimate vehicle identification numbers and apply them to stolen vehicles, Global News has learned, in an attempt to crack down on a growing auto-theft-related issue.

While multiple levels of government have thrown hundreds of millions towards cracking down on the auto theft crime wave, politicians have also been warned about a second layer of crime targeting a vehicle’s unique 17-character identification number known as a VIN.

The code, which includes information about a vehicle’s make, model, year and manufacturing location and is widely considered to be a fingerprint for cars, has increasingly become a target for thieves looking to legitimize a stolen vehicle.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada says the process of “reVINing” has been “particularly pronounced” in Ontario and has called on the Ford government to implement a suite of reforms.

Internal government documents, obtained by …