DIGITPOL's Vehicle Crime Intelligence Unit is a specialist investigative team dedicated to the tracing, intelligence, forensics, seizure, recovery, and return of stolen vehicles and high value assets. DIGITPOL is a licensed investigation agency.
The DIGITPOL Stolen Vehicle Recovery Unit is an international vehicle investigation, recovery, forensic, and repatriation agency specialising in the tracing, seizure, recovery, forensic examination, and lawful return of stolen and wanted vehicles. We support vehicle manufacturers (OEMs), insurance companies, financial institutions, leasing companies, rental operators, fleet owners, law enforcement agencies worldwide.
Our investigators recover cars, vans, trucks, motorcycles, trailers, construction machinery, agricultural equipment, boats, and other high value assets. From the initial investigation and intelligence gathering through to vehicle location, seizure, forensic examination, transport, customs clearance, and repatriation, DIGITPOL provides a complete end to end stolen vehicle investigation and recovery service.
DIGITPOL operates throughout Europe, the Balkans, the United Kingdom, and West Africa, with dedicated operations across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lithuania, Latvia, and Ghana. Through our international operations, we routinely investigate and recover vehicles from major cities, ports, logistics hubs, border crossings, and organised vehicle crime networks.
A key strength of DIGITPOL is our automotive forensics unit and our extensive international partner network. Our forensic specialists can examine recovered vehicles, electronic control units, keys, infotainment and telematics systems, CAN Bus networks, and other automotive systems to identify and preserve digital evidence relevant to an investigation. We work alongside special investigation units, customs authorities, legal representatives, insurers, and law enforcement agencies in dozens of countries. This established network allows us to rapidly deploy recovery teams, coordinate cross-border investigations, arrange vehicle transport, and manage complex international repatriation cases efficiently and legally.
Our forensic experts and specialists work closely with police authorities, prosecutors, courts, customs agencies, and legal representatives to secure the lawful release of recovered vehicles while preserving evidence and ensuring compliance with national and international legal procedures. Where appropriate, forensic examination can be conducted before, during, or following recovery to document the condition of the vehicle, identify alterations or tampering, recover digital evidence, and assist in establishing the history and circumstances surrounding the theft. Supported by our own recovery fleet and experienced field investigators, we operate regular vehicle recovery and transport routes throughout Europe and provide international forwarding services from Ghana's Port of Tema and Port of Takoradi to major European ports, including Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
DIGITPOL also provides specialist automotive forensic research and vehicle security testing for OEMs. Our services include the forensic acquisition and analysis of digital data from vehicles, examination of vehicle theft devices, analysis of automotive electronic systems, and CAN Bus security testing designed to identify vulnerabilities and understand emerging vehicle theft techniques. Through controlled forensic research and technical analysis, DIGITPOL assists vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) in understanding attack methods, identifying weaknesses in vehicle security systems, developing countermeasures, and improving vehicle theft prevention. This combination of field investigation, vehicle recovery, digital forensics, and OEM security research enables DIGITPOL to provide intelligence from real-world vehicle crime investigations that can be used to strengthen future vehicle security.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, DIGITPOL has built one of Europe's most experienced international stolen vehicle recovery networks, delivering professional, secure, intelligence led, and legally compliant recovery services across multiple jurisdictions.
Our Services
Digitpol operates as an international stolen vehicle investigation and recovery team, supporting insurers, financial institutions, leasing and rental companies, and authorities worldwide. We specialise in tracing, locating, and recovering stolen vehicles of all types,cars, vans, trucks, motorcycles, and boats across Europe, West Africa, the Balkans, Asia, and the USA.
Tracking, Seizure & Repatriation of Stolen and Embezzled Vehicles: We provide complete operational support for the global recovery and repatriation of stolen or embezzled vehicles. Our team manages every stage of the process, from international tracing and legal clearances to secure seizure and transportation. All recovery operations are conducted with full transparency, strict legal compliance, and a commitment to returning vehicles safely to their rightful owners.
Advanced Technology & Forensic Expertise: Digitpol’s SMV platform integrates OEM telematics for remote tracking, API integration with other tracing devices, Digitpol deploys and operates a large ANPR network for detecting stolen vehicles, and global customs export databases, allowing real-time vehicle tracking and accelerating international recovery efforts. Our Automotive Forensic Experts bring decades of experience in law enforcement, covert operations, and technical vehicle investigations. Their expertise covers vehicle forensic examinations, identity verification, insurance fraud investigations, and detailed analysis of recovered vehicles delivering accurate, actionable intelligence throughout every case.
Rental vehicle embezzlement occurs when a renter unlawfully retains, misuses, or misappropriates a rental vehicle with the intention of depriving the rental company of its lawful property. This may involve failing to return the vehicle at the end of the rental period, using it in breach of the rental agreement, exporting it without authorisation, or attempting to sell it fraudulently. Such cases often require extensive investigation, particularly when vehicles are moved across international borders or concealed using false documentation.
Digitpol specialises in the investigation, tracing, recovery, and legal repatriation of stolen and embezzled rental vehicles. Our investigators conduct comprehensive vehicle tracing, intelligence gathering, and cross-border investigations to identify the location of missing vehicles and support their lawful recovery. We work closely with police authorities, customs agencies, legal representatives, and judicial authorities to ensure vehicles are recovered in accordance with local and international law.
A significant number of embezzled rental vehicles are sold to unsuspecting purchasers, commonly referred to as good faith buyers. These cases require careful legal assessment, ownership verification, and coordinated legal action. Digitpol assists rental companies by investigating ownership claims, preparing supporting documentation, and facilitating the lawful return of vehicles to their rightful owners while ensuring compliance with applicable legal procedures.
Digitpol's Stolen Vehicle Tracking platform (SMVIU) is a multi API data exchange center that connects to vehicles in Realtime to acquire the positions, this is done by API with the vehicle manufacturers (OEM data), the data obtained is known as telematics. The platform is a bridge between Police, Insurers and the vehicle manufacturers, when a stolen vehicle is reported to the SMVIU, the process starts immediately. When a location is received, the active search team (AST) deploy to the location to retrieve the vehicle. Telematics tracing is possible from vehicles manufactured from 2016 upwards. This toolset is in deployment since 2023 and operates daily.
In the Netherlands, the Toolset is utilised by the VBV which acts on behalf of all Dutch insurance companies, the tool is used to track and recover stolen Dutch vehicles.
Digitpol identifies, acquires, and analyses data from vehicle systems for investigations.
We conduct forensic analysis on vehicles and automotive systems. We specialise in the examination of ECUs, clusters, keys, and built-in OEM GPS satellite navigation systems, known as Infotainment or Telematics systems. Our forensic team has been conducting research on automotive systems since 2009. Together with system manufacturers, we have built a solid and robust method to recover forensic data from all vehicle modules.
We recover identification data, crash data, historical faults, and errors from all types of vehicles. We examine vehicles on-site or at our forensic laboratory. Motor insurance fraud is rampant, and the majority of claims can be stopped with proof of fraud. Our digital evidence is key in every motor insurance claim. Digitpol's vehicle forensics services may include the use of specialised tools and techniques to extract digital data from various vehicle systems, including engine control modules, GPS devices, infotainment systems, and other electronic components. Once the data has been extracted, Digitpol's digital forensic investigators can analyse the data to determine its relevance to the investigation and present their findings in a clear and concise manner.
Digitpol is the leader in Forensic Investigation of Automotive Telematics Logs and GSM CDR logs.
Digitpol’s Stolen Vehicle Investigation Unit provides comprehensive forensic examinations to verify a vehicle’s true identity and detect signs of theft, cloning, document fraud, and VIN tampering. Our specialists inspect registration documents, stamped Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs), manufacturer VIN labels, hidden vehicle identifiers, and the circumstances surrounding the vehicle’s sale to determine whether the vehicle is genuine or has been fraudulently re-identified. Digitpol's appointed expert for VIN forensics and vehicle documents forensics is Mr Maxim Ursu.
Digitpol's forensic investigation goes beyond document verification. We examine the originality of the stamped VIN, inspect manufacturer VIN labels for signs of replacement or manipulation, recover altered or removed identifiers where necessary, verify the vehicle's production data, and compare all physical identifiers against the registration documents. We also assess the provenance of the vehicle, identify inconsistencies in its documented history, and determine whether the vehicle has been cloned or re-identified.
Our forensic reports provide independent evidence of a vehicle's true identity and are used by law enforcement agencies, insurers, rental and leasing companies, financial institutions, legal professionals, and private owners to support criminal investigations, recover stolen vehicles, resolve ownership disputes, and prevent the purchase or registration of fraudulently identified vehicles.
DIGITPOL provides specialist theft and embezzlement recovery services for car financial service and leasing companies, fleet operators, vehicle rental providers, manufacturers, insurance companies and finance organisations throughout Europe. Our Vehicle Crime Unit investigates and recovers passenger cars, commercial vehicles, heavy trucks, construction machinery, agricultural equipment, trailers, motorcycles and other high value assets that have been stolen, fraudulently obtained, unlawfully retained, exported or concealed by organised criminal groups. Whether the loss results from vehicle theft, rental fraud, lease fraud, payment default, identity fraud or contract breach, our investigators conduct intelligence led investigations to locate the asset and coordinate its lawful recovery.
Using international intelligence, vehicle registration enquiries, ANPR technology, GPS and telematics analysis, VIN and vehicle forensic examinations, customs intelligence and cross-border investigations, DIGITPOL rapidly identifies the location of missing vehicles across Europe
Digitpol specialises in the forensic investigation of OEM infotainment, GPS, telematics, and command systems, identifying, acquiring, and analysing critical digital evidence stored within embedded vehicle platforms. Since 2009, our automotive forensic specialists have developed advanced investigative techniques for recovering forensic data from factory-installed navigation and infotainment systems, supporting both law enforcement investigations and vehicle manufacturers. Modern infotainment and telematics systems contain extensive information relating to vehicle operation, navigation, communications, and user activity. Using specialised forensic tools and validated acquisition methodologies, Digitpol extracts and analyses this data while preserving its evidential integrity.
Through collaboration with vehicle and system manufacturers, we maintain expertise across a wide range of OEM platforms, enabling comprehensive examinations of embedded vehicle systems. Our forensic investigations can recover valuable evidence including Bluetooth pairing records from both paired and previously connected devices, incoming, outgoing and missed call logs, recent GPS locations, navigation history and entered destinations, driver profile information, radio and RDS data, multimedia files, photographs, music metadata, system event logs, and numerous historical artefacts that assist investigators in reconstructing vehicle usage and user activity.
Digitpol offers comprehensive services for the tracing and recovery of stolen vehicles in West Africa. These services include vehicle tracking, legal assistance, repatriation in coordination with local authorities. As a global leader in geolocation and intelligence gathering, Digitpol integrates advanced telematics with investigative expertise to efficiently locate and recover stolen vehicles.
Due to the increasing global trend of stolen vehicles being trafficked to West Africa, Digitpol collaborates with a reputable local law firm that specializes in vehicle crime and repatriation. In Ghana, the release of a stolen vehicle is subject to a court ruling, and this partnership ensures that all legal procedures are managed effectively and in full compliance with local laws. in 2025, many Dutch registered vehicles were recovered under this collaboration.
Digitpol has a proven record of successfully recovering stolen vehicles from West Africa, demonstrating that recovery is achievable through a structured and lawful approach. Ghanaian authorities are highly successful in tackling vehicle crime, joint efforts depend on proof of ownership and the appropriate documentation, Digitpol can facilitate the lawful and successful recovery of your vehicle.
Stolen vehicles are trafficked to Ghana, Togo, Benin, Lagos, Senegal, Dakar, Morocco, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, often via container ships from Europe, the USA, Canada, and Asia. Digitpol has the expertise, network, and on-the-ground presence to trace and recover these vehicles efficiently and safely.
Penetration Testing of Connected Vehicles
As vehicles become increasingly connected, cybersecurity has become a critical component of vehicle development and validation. Connected services, wireless interfaces, electronic control units (ECUs), and in-vehicle networks expand the attack surface, making penetration testing essential for identifying and mitigating security vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
Digitpol provides automotive penetration testing services for vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, and technology partners to assess the resilience of connected vehicle systems. Our testing evaluates potential attack vectors across vehicle networks, embedded systems, wireless communications, and connected services to identify security weaknesses and validate the effectiveness of existing protections.
CAN Bus Security Testing
The Controller Area Network (CAN Bus) remains the primary communication backbone within modern vehicles. Digitpol performs CAN Bus penetration testing by analysing network traffic, reverse engineering communication protocols, and simulating real-world attack techniques, including packet injection and gateway manipulation. By replicating the behaviour of known vehicle theft tools and other attack methods, we help OEMs identify vulnerabilities and strengthen software-based security controls to prevent unauthorised access and vehicle theft.
ECU and Embedded System Analysis
Our specialists perform detailed examinations of Electronic Control Units (ECUs), instrument clusters, immobiliser systems, smart keys, telematics modules, and OEM navigation and connectivity platforms. This analysis supports both cybersecurity assessments and digital forensic investigations, providing insight into system integrity, authentication mechanisms, and potential attack paths.
Supporting Secure Vehicle Development
Our penetration testing and automotive forensic services enable manufacturers to identify vulnerabilities throughout the vehicle lifecycle, validate security controls, and improve the resilience of connected vehicle platforms. By combining offensive security testing with in-depth automotive expertise, Digitpol helps OEMs reduce cybersecurity risks while supporting compliance with modern automotive cybersecurity standards and best practices.
Vehicle theft prevention research for OEMs
Digitpol conducts specialist vehicle theft prevention research for OEMs, focusing on identifying vulnerabilities within modern vehicle security systems and developing methods to understand how vehicles can be targeted by organised vehicle theft. Our research includes the examination of vehicle electronic systems, CAN Bus networks, ECUs, immobiliser systems, keys, gateways, infotainment and telematics platforms. By analysing attack methods, reverse engineering relevant vehicle behaviour, and conducting controlled security testing, Digitpol provides OEMs with intelligence that can be used to strengthen vehicle software, electronic security systems, and theft prevention measures. Our research is designed to help manufacturers identify weaknesses, improve vehicle security, and develop effective countermeasures against emerging vehicle theft techniques.
Europe’s No. 1 for Stolen Vehicle Search and Recovery
DIGITPOL's Stolen Car Unit is a fully licensed international investigation agency and licensed vehicle transport operator, specialising in stolen vehicle investigations, vehicle recovery, asset tracing, vehicle repatriation, and cross-border enforcement support. We are fully insured and operate in compliance with all applicable regulatory and legal requirements, providing clients with complete confidence throughout every stage of the recovery process.
Working with vehicle manufacturers (OEMs), insurers, financial institutions, leasing companies, rental operators, corporate fleet owners, and law enforcement agencies, we deliver professional solutions for locating, investigating, recovering, transporting, and returning stolen or unlawfully retained vehicles. Our operations span Europe, the United Kingdom, the Balkans, West Africa, and other international regions, where our experienced investigators, recovery specialists, and transport professionals manage complex cross-border recovery cases from initial intelligence through to lawful seizure, secure transport, and repatriation.
Supported by one of the largest international networks of investigators, recovery operators, transport partners, legal professionals, and law enforcement contacts, DIGITPOL delivers reliable, legally compliant, fully insured, and results-driven recovery services designed to protect assets and support clients worldwide.
