License Plate Theft, Vehicle Identity Number

What does a license plate and identity theft have in common? Turns out, a lot. In these unstable times when fuel prices fluctuate more than ever and finances are getting tighter for people all across the nation, thieves haven’t slowed down on the most basic of crimes, including stealing license plates.

If you’ve ever had to transfer license plates from one car to another, you’ll know how easy it is to do it. It’s simply a matter of having a screwdriver, which is why it’s so easy for someone to snatch plates from a car within seconds. Sounds like an unlikely thing to steal until you realize the many things a thief can do with a license plate.

Commit Traffic Violations
Those traffic cameras are such a nuisance, aren’t they? They seem to be everywhere these days, planted in all the most inconvenient locations. Unfortunately, thieves are thinking the same thing. Because they know that these photo-enforced traffic fines are mailed to registered owner of the vehicle, a stolen plate put onto their vehicle is a ticket for them to commit all the violations they want. Illegal U-turns, running red lights and even parking violations—no matter what it is, they’ll be happy to break the law since you’re the one who is eventually stuck with the bill.

Commit Other Crimes
Sometimes, there’s an even more malicious motive for stealing license plates. If a thief is looking to commit a crime involving a getaway car, the savvy ones will put stolen plates on their car prior to committing the act. Crimes can be robberies, hit and runs, or even stealing gasoline from stations. Even if a witness writes down the plate number, as long as they’ve got someone else’s plate on their car, they’re breathing easily knowing the police will come knocking on a victim’s door, not theirs.

Disguise Stolen Vehicles
Sometimes, the crime has already been committed and thieves need a cover-up. This occurs most often with stolen vehicles. Thieves have known to go on a stealing spree sometimes, stealing plates off dozens of cars, particularly at night in neighborhoods where cars are parked on the street or in crowded mall parking lots where they can get the pick of the litter.

Ways to Prevent License Plate Theft
Though you can’t have a camera on your car at all times, there are steps you can take to help prevent yourself from becoming a victim. Firstly, whenever possible, park your car where you’ll get lots of passersby and in well-lit areas at night. Another easy and effective way is to secure your plates on your car with the use of special one-way screws that are difficult to remove once they’re inserted. Many auto supply shops offer these screws for just a few dollars. If a thief finds that it’s taking too much time and effort to remove a plate, they’ll move on to the next car.

If you’ve noticed your plate has been stolen, immediately report it to the police. As long as there’s a red flag in the license plate database, the thief should have smaller window to commit any violations, and will hopefully be tracked down more quickly. While the process to rectify a stolen license plate is often less daunting than resolving a stolen social security card, the consequences of not reporting a stolen plate as soon as possible can still be result in stress and time lost.