Perhaps you are planning to junk your car and would like to destroy it yourself without any trace. This might not be the way to go, especially since the junkyard can take care of the job. But if your plan is one of vengeance, it is often best not to vandalize someone’s property. That said, I will suggest some of the stealth methods anyone can use to damage a car without leaving evidence.
How to Damage a Car Without Leaving Evidence
These methods are meant for old cars you no longer wish to keep. Even that is not the best way to destroy a car, especially if it is meant for junk. Here are ways to damage a car without leaving evidence.
Erase the Car’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
You can damage a car by removing its VIN (the car’s special ID number). The special car ID number is usually on the dashboard or in the engine area, and it tells you about the car’s type and history. To get rid of the VIN, you could use a cutting tool to remove it from the car or even dissolve it with chemicals.
In both cases, you need to make sure the VIN is gone, leaving no trace like a piece or an imprint. However, unless this car is heading to the salvage yard, it is not allowed to intentionally take off, erase, mess with, or change a car’s ID number on purpose.
Crush it Using a Sledgehammer
You can try to break the car with a heavy object, like a sledgehammer. This can really damage a car without leaving evidence, but a good mechanic can usually tell if it was sabotaged. Another way to hide evidence is by disconnecting the car’s electrical parts, like the battery and starter, to stop any electronic data from being recovered and used as proof.
When smashing the car, you should try not to make any clear marks, like those from a sledgehammer or a tool. You can also wear gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints or DNA behind.
Bathe the Car in Fire
You probably won’t consider this a good idea, but fire is a surefire way to damage a car without leaving evidence. After that, you can send it to the junkyard. Before this, you must have notified your DMV that the vehicle is no longer operable. Just pour flammable stuff like gasoline on it and light it up. The fire will mess up the car, making it tricky to know what caused the mess.
But be careful with fire to avoid it spreading fast and hurting people or things around you. You can use something like diesel fuel to make it burn fast and leave less evidence.
Use Corrosive Substances
Strong chemicals can ruin a car without leaving any evidence. For example, you could fill the car with battery acid, which eats away at the metal and plastic parts. This won’t let it start fires, but it takes time. Just be really careful since corrosive materials can be very harmful if you touch them.
Sell Your Vehicle to a Scrapyard
In this way, you sell your car to a scrapyard. They take it apart and reuse the materials. The scrapyard pays you based on how heavy the car is and the value of its metal parts. If your objective is to damage a car without leaving evidence, they can remove your information and give you cash for the sale.
Submerge the Car in the Water
For anyone who prioritizes damaging a car without leaving evidence, water can be your go-to solution. Just toss it into a body of water. You can use a tow truck to take the car to a lake, river, or ocean and let it sink there. As time goes by, the water will make the car rust and fall apart, so it’s tough to know what happened. But this hurts nature because it can harm water animals and make the water dirty.
And remember, depending on the laws where you live, throwing a car in the water might be illegal. However, this method of getting rid of a car takes a while and may not work where there’s not much water.
Shred it Into Apart
Taking apart a car bit by bit is a good way to totally break it without leaving clues. It needs some know-how, plenty of time, and patience. But when it’s done, there won’t be any hint that the car was there. Remove the big parts like the engine, then work on the smaller stuff like seats, dashboard, and trim. Once all the parts are off, scatter them in different spots to make them tougher to discover.
Abandon the Vehicle
Park it far away in a hidden spot. It’s easy and safe, but it might not completely destroy the car. Pick a place far from anyone or security cameras. An abandoned spot, like an old building or a remote park, works well for this. The car will slowly break down because of the weather, animals, or other things, but someone might discover it and bring it back. Also, the person who abandoned it might leave clues like footprints or tire marks that can be used to figure out who did it. Alternatively, you can bury it in a faraway spot. Simply dig a deep hole, toss the car inside, cover it with dirt, and disguise the area with plants or other materials.
Ultimately, the choice is yours. However, the best way to damage a car without leaving evidence is to have it junked. This will require transferring the title, which usually won’t take long.
