Makes you wonder if they can clock the mileage as that could be easier than taking control of a vehicle remotely? It could be prevented if it was compulsory for a new MOT when the car exchanges hands and also the VED issued?You raise some valid points, I hadn't considered the change of ownership point. but with regards the MOT only kicking in after the third year, perhaps it becomes a requirement to have the VIN number and millage checked annually or when a car changes hands.
As for black boxes, I thought the insurance ones logged location as well as times.
In SA when a car was sold it had to have a roadworthy certificate and insurance before you could buy a tax disc. However this created another problem in that when cars were sold privately in many cases the car was left in the old owner's name.