Photos to cut used-car sale scams

Police hope the photographs will help trace sellers of stolen vehicles

A campaign has been launched to encourage people buying second-hand vehicles to take a photograph of the seller before they hand over cash.

The Norfolk Police campaign aims to cut the number of buyers conned into buying stolen vehicles.

A police spokesman said 29 stolen vehicles which had been cloned and sold on were seized in just one operation.

"Mobile phone cameras and digital cameras now provides the purchaser with another way of protecting themselves."

If the car is stolen the photograph will assist police in tracing the seller, police said.

Police are also encouraging purchasers to:

• Avoid paying cash for vehicles, but instead use a banker's draft - which will leave an audit trail.

• Check the vehicle registration number against the engine number and chassis number.

• Never buy a vehicle in a car park or let sellers visit their home.

The campaign is based on an idea developed by West Midlands Police after an increase in the number of car buyers conned out of cash.