Well… I did my research like you said and came up with this.
"Five of the vehicles were seized not because their owners were street racing, but because they contained stolen engines and transmissions, police said.
Daniel Maldonado snapped digital photos as he watched his black 1992 Honda Civic being crushed.
“It’s my life in there,” he said. “That’s all my money. That’s all I’ve worked for.”
His transmission didn’t have an identification number. Police said it had been stolen. But Maldonado said he didn’t know that and that older Japanese cars have ID stickers that can fall off.
Ontario police Cpl. Jeff Higbee said that’s not possible.
Older Japanese cars bought in Japan and brought to the United States may have that problem, but American manufacturers affix mylar stickers to Japanese car parts.
“If they’re not there, they’ve been removed by the owner,” he said."