A Calgary man has been charged in connection with stolen vehicles having their VINs changed then registered, as well as weapons offenses.
Arshdeep Mallhi, 26, of Calgary, has been charged with:
- Four counts of Uttering a Forged Document;
- Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime over $5,000;
- Unsafe Storage of a Firearm;
- Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm;
- Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm in a Motor Vehicle;
- Unauthorized Possession of a Restricted Firearm;
- Possession of a Firearm with a Tampered Serial Number.
In early February 2024, the Alberta RCMP Auto Theft Unit began an investigation into multiple vehicles that were suspected to be re-vinned and registered in Leduc and Calgary areas. As a result of the investigation, officers recovered a RAM 2500, RAM 1500 and a Chevrolet Cruze, all of which had been re-vinned. The value of the vehicles recovered totals approximately $175,000. Additionally, RCMP seized a loaded 9mm handgun which had the serial number removed.
Mallhi was taken before a Justice of the Peace and released from custody with his next court date set for Aug. 15, 2024, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Leduc.
There are a number of ways to reveal whether a vehicle has been re-vinned. Vehicles have their VINs stamped or printed in multiple places; inconsistencies are a huge red flag. Getting a used vehicle report from a company such as Carfax requires searching the vehicle by VIN. Another way is to perform an internet search for the VIN. A VIN decoding website is invaluable, as a false VIN will return an error, or will return specifications that do not match the vehicle.
Most importantly, always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic, and ask to have the fault codes read. Most vehicles newer than 2006 have their VINs programmed into the main engine computer, and a mismatch between the stored VIN and the tag on the dash and driver’s door jamb is a vehicle to avoid.
