Finding VIN of Stolen Honda CBR 600 F4i

[mdmaroon]

I have a friend in law enforcement and he recently (a couple days ago) recovered a stolen 2001 Honda CBR 600 F4i.

The thief removed all the VIN numbers, so they have been unable to determine who the owner is.

I had an idea. Does the ECU have the VIN number stored in it electronically?

I know with cars, it does. When I connect my scan tool to my car, it shows the VIN encoded in every control module (engine, ABS, air-bag, etc).

Any Honda experts out there know if it is the same with bikes? Maybe they could take it to a Honda dealer and get the VIN from the ECU?

(The guy got caught because his license plate, also stolen, was not visible, drawing attention to himself. Little did he know, they had a helicopter on the way, but they caught him before it was needed.)

[strongbad]

If they caught the perp, why couldn't they ask him where he stole it from?

[whisperquiet]

They should also be able to narrow the list by matching it up in a local/statewide data base of current stolen bikes. Once the list is minimized, previous owners who reported their bikes stolen may be able to identify the bike. Frame numbers might be able to be raised by the use of acid.............I would contact someone with the NCIB for assistance in identifying the bike.

https://www.nicb.org//

[perterra]

Originally Posted by strongbad

If they caught the perp, why couldn't they ask him where he stole it from?

Some times the story is I bought it from a guy

[TimeOnMyHands]

Former Honda service manager here. The ECU doesn't store the VIN or any other information like a car's will. I would look for an engine number that might not have been scraped off, then have a local dealer call the Honda Tech Line and see if they can cross reference that number into a VIN. If the thief was smart enough to grind all the markings off the bike I'd take it to all of your local bike shops and see if anyone recognizes it... If they've worked on it they'll have the VIN and owner's information on record.

[mdmaroon]

Originally Posted by TimeOnMyHands

Former Honda service manager here. The ECU doesn't store the VIN or any other information like a car's will. I would look for an engine number that might not have been scraped off, then have a local dealer call the Honda Tech Line and see if they can cross reference that number into a VIN. If the thief was smart enough to grind all the markings off the bike I'd take it to all of your local bike shops and see if anyone recognizes it... If they've worked on it they'll have the VIN and owner's information on record.

Apparently the guy was very thorough in removing all identifying marks. A police expert has already gone over it and was not able to determine the rightful owner of the bike, using whatever investigative tools they have.

This actually made their job easier, because it is illegal to be in possession of a motor vehicle with the VIN removed. So, as far as charging the perp, that's a done deal. He's screwed. Finding the VIN would only help return the bike to its rightful owner.

If anything, the thief would have had better chances from a legal standpoint if he had left the VIN on the bike! At least then there would be a small chance that the owner wouldn't press charges. With no VIN, the police don't need a victim to charge the suspect with the theft.

Oh, and for the guy who asked why they don't just ask the suspect where he got the bike, they did. I guess they didn't believe his story, which was that he bought it off Craigslist. It doesn't matter, since the charge is for being in possession of a motor vehicle with the VIN's removed, and carries the same sort of penalty as vehicle theft, Craigslist or no Craigslist. He started the bike by touching two wires together, so I'm pretty sure he was aware that something was up. He also affixed a stolen plate to the bike. Kind of hard to claim you didn't know it was stolen when you have to hotwire it and you put a plate on it that you didn't get from the DMV.

Anyway, that's too bad about no VIN in the ECU. Thanks for the reply.

[mdmaroon]

Here's why the guy who got caught with the bike is hooped (I'm in Canada, btw):

Possession and Trafficking

Marginal note:Possession of property obtained by crime

354.*(1)*Every one commits an offence who has in his possession any property or thing or any proceeds of any property or thing knowing that all or part of the property or thing or of the proceeds was obtained by or derived directly or indirectly from
(a)*the commission in Canada of an offence punishable by indictment; or
(b)*an act or omission anywhere that, if it had occurred in Canada, would have constituted an offence punishable by indictment.
Marginal note:Obliterated vehicle identification number

(2)*In proceedings in respect of an offence under subsection (1), evidence that a person has in his possession a motor vehicle the vehicle identification number of which has been wholly or partially removed or obliterated or a part of a motor vehicle being a part bearing a vehicle identification number that has been wholly or partially removed or obliterated is, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, proof that the motor vehicle or part, as the case may be, was obtained, and that such person had the motor vehicle or part, as the case may be, in his possession knowing that it was obtained,
(a)*by the commission in Canada of an offence punishable by indictment; or
(b)*by an act or omission anywhere that, if it had occurred in Canada, would have constituted an offence punishable by indictment.
Definition of “vehicle identification number”
(3)*For the purposes of subsection (2), “vehicle identification number” means any number or other mark placed on a motor vehicle for the purpose of distinguishing the motor vehicle from other similar motor vehicles.

[AZbiker]

Originally Posted by strongbad

If they caught the perp, why couldn't they ask him where he stole it from?

How exactly are they supposed to compel him to talk?

[Contevita]

Originally Posted by AZbiker

How exactly are they supposed to compel him to talk?

Feed him some donuts and beer, eh.

[slipknot]

Is it possible the ECU serial number would be linked with the VIN?

Also I read several years ago that there was a laboratory method of looking at the area where a VIN number was removed to see the number's ghost image deeper in the metal that is stressed from the stamping. I don't know if this is true but it was mentioned in a Harley oriented rag and I recall a friend telling me it was for real; a lot of stolen bikes in that community.