how can you run plates on a car to see if its stolen in California?

In California, you can perform a license plate lookup, but you cannot search for stolen vehicles by license plate number. Stolen vehicles are identified through the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which is a unique 17-digit code assigned to each vehicle.

You can file a report or provide information about a suspected stolen vehicle at your local police department or sheriff's office and provide them with the license plate number. They will have access to the necessary systems to determine if a vehicle is stolen based on the VIN.