Hays County, Texas Sheriff’s Office Recovers $220K of ‘Cloned’ GMC Denalis

The Hays County, Texas Sheriff’s Office said it has recovered four stolen trucks with cloned vehicle identification numbers.

The Hays County Sheriff’s Auto Theft Unit worked with the Hays County Tax Assessor’s Office and partnering agencies to recover four VIN-cloned GMC Denalis between April 4 and April 9.

VIN-cloned vehicles appear to be legitimate due to the VIN returning to a vehicle that is not reported as stolen, the sheriff’s office said in a press released. The estimated recovery value is $220,000. The GMC Denalis were reported stolen through the Dallas Police Department, Houston Police Department and a law enforcement agency in Connecticut.

The GMC Denalis were sold by suspects on Facebook Marketplace for a price significantly below market value, the sheriff’s office said. All victims were provided fictitious titles for the cloned vehicles.

The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud (CAIF) says that vehicle cloning involves replicating a legitimate vehicle’s VIN, which criminals use to mask stolen or illicitly obtained cars. Insurance carriers risk dealing with false claims if a cloned vehicle gets into an accident.

The Hays County Sheriff’s Office encourages car buyers to visit the Texas Department of Motor Vehicle title check before purchasing a vehicle.

Photo: GMC Denali

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