The Toyota Land Cruiser is a true icon of the automotive industry but sadly, it is also a popular vehicle among thieves who often shave off the VINs and sometimes use them for nefarious means. Now, Toyota has an answer to this.
In a recent Russian review of the all-new Land Cruiser, the presenter points out a handful of small dotes located on the vehicle’s body structure near the battery. These dots don’t appear to be anything special. However, when they are viewed under a microscope, it is revealed that they actually display the VIN in minuscule lettering both forwards and backwards.
Of course, if thieves see this video, they will know where to find the dots and simply remove them. However, it’s entirely possible that Toyota has also applied them to other areas of the Land Cruiser in harder-to-find but defined areas that only the car manufacturer knows about. If a Land Cruiser were to be stolen and its visible VINs removed, these stickers could be used by authorities to trace it.
In other Land Cruiser-related news, Toyota confirmed that Japanese customers were being asked to sign an agreement that the vehicle would not be resold. Toyota hasn’t specified the duration of this agreement, but some reports suggest it will be in effect for a year after the purchase date. It is reported that Toyota made this move to prevent Land Cruisers being exported overseas and potentially landing in the hands of militias and terrorist organizations.