Hillsboro police now doing VIN checks

By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

At one time, Marion’s police department was the only place in the county to get a vehicle identification check on a car.

Now, Hillsboro police are doing VIN inspections, as well.

VIN inspection is required when a vehicle has a title from a different state or foreign country, when it has been rebuilt or restored from one or more vehicles, or when proper identification is in doubt.

Marion interim police chief Zach Hudlin said police departments do VIN checks only for out-of-state titles. If the VIN number is in question or the car has been rebuilt, police refer the owner to Kansas Highway Patrol.

Usually a trooper arrives promptly when needed, Hudlin said.

Hillsboro Police Chief Jessey Hiebert said the department started doing VIN checks March 10 after repeated requests from Hillsboro car dealers, who previously had to have a Marion officer come to Hillsboro to do the checks.

Heibert said officers took a highway patrol VIN inspection course before they began doing inspections.

Officers check whether the vehicle has been reported stolen and look for any sign that the identification number has been altered.

Hillsboro police department charges $20 for a VIN inspection. Of that, $2 is sent to Kansas Highway Patrol, and $18 remains with the police department. Hudlin said the business of VIN checks in Marion had remained steady, with only dealership VIN checks falling off for Marion police.