Stolen Boat Search Guidelines
How and when to conduct a stolen boat search lookup.
Stolen boat detection is an important aspect of any purchase transaction, regardless of the size or value. As a buyer or lender, your entire investment could be easily forfeited if the boat does not actually belong to the party you are dealing with. This can happen even if an owner is unaware it was previously stolen. Checking to see whether this is the case may, however, involve a fair amount of investigative work. The extent of such effort will depend on your confidence in the seller's willingness and ability to make good on any representations of title.
When to Search
There are several factors to consider in determining whether to launch
a stolen boat search investigation. It begins with an assessment of
who you are dealing with, their demeanor, the boat's condition,
the kind of bargain you are getting and the type of transaction. The
following circumstances may come into play in making such decision.
Knowing the
Seller - You may feel more confident when dealing with a familiar
person who is known to be honest and trustworthy. When it comes to a
complete stranger, however, you should look beyond a friendly
demeanor and convincing sales pitch. Given any such concern, you might consider going so far as to run a personal
background check.
Bargain Deals - It's
always nice to be getting a deal of the century. As with many such
bargains, however, it may be too good to be true if someone is
simply attempting to unload a stolen goods. Purchasing that dream
boat is a highly emotional endeavor and you must be careful in
maintaining a prudent sense of skepticism.
Closing Urgency
- A major cause for concern is whether you are being pressured to
close the deal in a big hurry. Especially if you are being told
that others are lined up and anxiously waiting with cash in hand.
Don't allow yourself to be stampeded into something you may regret.
Seller Disclosures - A legitimate seller should understand
your need for complete and accurate information about the boat, it's
background and most importantly, the title condition. Any reluctance
to openly provide such details should be met with great
trepidation.
Certificate Discrepancies - Expired,
mutilated, altered or inaccurate title and registration certificates
may be an indication of a stolen boat. This especially also true if the
identification numbers do not match precisely up with those actually
affixed to the boat.
Visual Observations - A visual
inspection of the boat itself is one of the most important detection
aspects of determining whether it may have been stolen. This could
reveal whether a properly formatted hull identification number is
present or whether it has an appearance of being tampered with. It
will also reveal the absence of any applicable registration numbers
and decals that would normally be
affixed to the boat.
Transactions - Most legitimate boat
transactions are structured through a written purchase agreement
that calls for inspections and contingencies. An insistence on
behalf of the seller in foregoing all of this for a handshake and
verbal promises is cause for concern. Resistance in providing a
full disclosure about all aspect of the boat and its title should
also be met with a great deal of trepidation.
Boat
Brokers - Although working with a boat broker adds to the
element of professionalism, this does not confer stolen boat
protection. There is no such thing as boat title insurance in the
marine industry and brokers, attorneys, closing agents or titling
companies do not provide such guarantees. If you end up with a
stolen boat, the seller will be your only recourse.
What to Search
In order to conduct an effective stolen boat search, you will need
gather up the appropriate search criteria. Most resources will
require a hull identification number as the primary search term
although other items may suffice depending on the source. These
include a state registration number, official USCG documentation
number or perhaps even a foreign registry number. If nothing else these may be used in other
searches in finding
a cross-reference for the hull number.
Hull Identification Number -
Any known hull identification numbers should be searched even those
which appear to be spurious. This includes a hidden hull number
that has been mandated since 1984 on all boats built for U.S.
consumption. Its location is only known by the manufacturer, law
enforcement and professional marine surveyors.
Registration Number
- Stolen boat databases may not always include a state registration
number.
Official USCG Number - Although not always
the case, some stolen boat databases may be searchable by the
official USCG vessel documentation number.
Name and Hailing Port - Boat names and hailing ports are not
typically searchable when it comes to stolen boats.
Foreign Numbers - Foreign hull identification numbers may be
searchable in domestic databases if properly formatted.
Owner
Names - Access to any type of boat records by an owner's name is
mostly restricted due to privacy regulations.
Where to Search
Stolen boats will typically have been reported to a local
enforcement agency, a state registration office or the U.S. Coast
Guard. These are in turn forward to the
Department of Justice for inclusion into the National Crime
Information Center database (NCIC) which is administered by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation . There are also some private enterprises that gather
stolen boat information into their own proprietary databases.
NCIC
Database - The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is a national
data system managed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation which operates
under the auspices of The Department of Justice. It gathers stolen boat data
from federal, state, local and foreign law enforcement agencies. Although
the system may be accessed by all government agencies, it can not be
searched
directly by the general public.
Enforcement Agencies - The
foremost and most reliable method for checking on a stolen boat is by
contacting your local law enforcement agency. This is because they have
immediate online access to the National Crime Information Database. Enforcement officers will also conduct visual boat inspections
if there is cause to suspect the subject boat was stolen.
NCIB Database
- The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NCIB) offers a free stolen boat
lookup service which is available the general public. Although intended for
vehicles it also accommodates boats. This is not a governmental resource,
but will assist in determining if an owner may have filed an insurance theft
claim.
State
Databases - Although state level boat registration records do not
typically reflect stolen boats, some states do maintain a separate database
for this purpose. Visit the State Registration Overviews in the Referrals for this page for
information on those jurisdictions that may provide such data.
USCG Records
- Coast guard vessel abstracts of title do not typically indicate whether a
boat has been stolen. However, they may provide some clues with regard to
the chain of ownership and the last owner of record.
Proprietary
Listings - Our Stolen Boat Registry offers the nation's foremost
proprietary database service for reporting and searching stolen boats. It is
completely free of charge and may be found in the References for this page.
Marine Surveyors - Professional marine surveyors will know
how to detect whether a boat is stolen and usually have access to a number of search
resources. This may be a worthwhile investment if there is cause for such
concern.
Conclusion
Stolen boat search resources are not always conclusive when it comes to identifying every boat that has been stolen. Detection can also be difficult as perpetrators are very adept at cloaking techniques. It is of great importance, therefore, to obtain a strongly worded guarantee of title from a seller of good character with the ability to make good on any such representations.
References and Referrals
Comments - Suggestions - Corrections