How can I check if I am rebuying my stolen headlights?

Came back from a six day business trip to find my 2007 Ford Fiesta Zetec mk6 had its headlights stolen. Total bummer. I've managed to find replacement headlights on gumtree. The seller is fairly local and the ad was placed four days ago. I'm probably just going to buy them (because my car is effectively out of action until I get them replaced - they also house the indicators, so not road legal…) But is there a way that I can check once I've bought them whether they are in fact my original headlights? Like a serial number or something that will tie them to my car? ?

Any way you can tie him to the crime scene? Handprints on your bonnet for example?

Why buy them? If you can prove they are your headlights then you won't have to pay the guy.

The police said because we can't tell when in the last six days it happened, probably not much luck (or point) in getting an investigation team to take prints etc. Plus, at this point, I just want my car back on the road again. I have some work next week that I must have a vehicle for, and there would be no way I could prove that they were mine before I bought them anyway. Just wondering whether there is any way to prove it via serial numbers after purchase, and then I can pass their details on to the police.

had my lights out a few times and i don't recall there being any id numbers specific to the car.

Have you asked the guy?

Seems like that would be a bit of a stupid move… No?

peanutismint said:

The police said because we can't tell when in the last six days it happened, probably not much luck (or point) in getting an investigation team to take prints etc.

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lol police.

Should have just bluffed and said it happened on a Tuesday because your neighbour saw it was fine on Monday whilst walking his dog. If they started making more excuses you know they just don't want to help you.

peanutismint said:

Seems like that would be a bit of a stupid move… No?

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You can ask him where they are from, say you've had problems with buying stolen parts before.

The police are unlikely to help you but if you can't get a decent answer about the source of the parts maybe you'll be more sure yourself in whether you want to buy them or not.

It is extremely hard to get anything put right with theft.

The one time I did have such a thing happen, the girlfriend of the guy who robbed me sent me £200 through the police for the stolen goods out of guilt and when it was brought round the officer said he'd never known it happen in his time.

Apart from that they said they couldn't do anything about the guy even though they did know who he was.

There might be a date stamp on them, not conclusive but might give an indication.

would there be any marks on it if it was removed illegally?

How much are money are we talking about?

Not too sure what good it might do but you could get somebody else calling the seller up pretending to be the person whose car the lights were stolen from etc... but it could result with the seller getting scared and withdrawing the lights which would still leave you without lights?

Did you have mismatched bulbs? If the actual bulbs have the manufacturer printed on them, and if you knew that the left one had a philips bulb in it and the right one had an osram bulb in it, it would be proof enough that they're your lights.

asim18 said:

it would be proof enough that they're your lights.

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No, it wouldn't.

Sin_Chase said:

No, it wouldn't.

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You're right, "proof" is a strong word. But depending on the combination of the exact types of bulbs used, identifying the bulbs can and will have a direct effect on the statistical probability of his initial suspicion being more or less likely, but not necessarily possible or impossible.

Headlights are a very odd thing to steal if your plan is to immediately sell them. I would have thought that sort of thing only happened if someone needed them for their own car.

asim18 said:

lol police.

Should have just bluffed and said it happened on a Tuesday because your neighbour saw it was fine on Monday whilst walking his dog. If they started making more excuses you know they just don't want to help you.

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Really? And what happens when they go to the neighbour to get a statement of this "fact" to help with the investigation?

You do come away with some right nonsense sometimes...

Richie said:

Really? And what happens when they go to the neighbour to get a statement of this "fact" to help with the investigation?

You do come away with some right nonsense sometimes...

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Calm down dear, nothing actually happens because the opportunity for OP to actually say this is over. I said "should have" and I said just to see if they were just fobbing him off.

OP has already said they said there is no point investigating just because OP didn't know which 24-hour period the crime occurred in. It would just have been nice to know the exact window of time a crime needs to have taken place in before the police deem it worth investigating, that's all.

If that is the only Fiesta related item in their history (buying or selling) then I'd be suspicious. I doubt you could prove it though.

I fully expect you to arrive to pick them up and the guy has a well sick Fez wiv wicked aftermarket LED lights

How do you take headlights out without opening the bonnet?

Acme said:

Headlights are a very odd thing to steal if your plan is to immediately sell them. I would have thought that sort of thing only happened if someone needed them for their own car.

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I agree, and after having met the seller/bought the lights, I'm pretty sure he was just selling them because he'd bought a nicer newer set for his Fiesta

IAmATeaf said:

How much are money are we talking about?

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Only (only!) about £60 - not much in the grand scheme of things and a good price for 2 x headlights in great condition (AND they also turned out to have all three bulbs in each one working!) but still £60 more than I would have paid if some ***** ******* hadn't nicked my headlights!

acemastr said:

How do you take headlights out without opening the bonnet?

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It looks like they HAD in fact forced the bonnet open... the front grille was also missing (with Ford badge et al!) and so I assume they'd done that trick where you bend a coat hanger, push it through the tiny hole where the 'secondary' bonnet release goes into the engine compartment (i.e. the handle you pull at the front after you've pulled the lever in the passenger foot well...). I'm actually relieved they did that rather than smashing my window and pulling the release in there, but they obviously didn't want to make much noise (it was literally parked outside my flat...).

Anyway, I've bought those lights and fitted them, but now my issue is that whatever they did to force the bonnet open has damaged the bonnet release mechanism so even tho I could open it to fit the new headlights, after I shut it (to go to Halfords to buy screws to secure the new lights) I couldn't get the bonnet open again...! I actually spent about 2hrs on hands and knees trying to unlock the clasp with all manner of tools; I even re-removed the replacement headlights so I could stick my head into the engine compartment and get a good look at the mechanism but it's too tight to get any decent tools in there and even with my bear hands I couldn't make the little 'clasp' thing budge enough to release the 'hoop' holding the bonnet closed.... I think they may well have bent it out of alignment....! so I think a trip to the mechanic is next But at least I can now legally drive it there with my newly installed (not 'secured' with screws but held in by the bonnet that won't open...!) headlights!

If anyone has any tips on how to open a Fiesta bonnet where the locking clasp has seized, let me know!!