KITCHENER -- A Guelph resident is out over a thousand dollars after buying a stolen car from someone in Hamilton.

Police say it happened on the morning of April 2.

That's when the victim drove to Hamilton to buy a silver 2005 Chrysler 300 from an unknown man. It cost $1,200.

When the buyer returned to Guelph, they got in touch with the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, and were informed that the vehicle was stolen.

The victim then called the Guelph Police Service.

The vehicle was seized and returned to its rightful owner. The victim lost the money spent on the car.

Police are reminding the public to use Service Ontario's recommendations when buying a used vehicle.

They include:

  • Making sure the seller is the legally-registered owner
  • Making sure the Vehicle Identification Number matches the one on the owner's permit
  • Looking for obvious signs of damage

Anyone with information in this case is asked to contact Guelph police.

If you'd rather remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers instead at 1-800-222-8477.