Theft of Number Plates

Good Afternoon,

There has been a rise in theft of number plates recently.

Number plate theft involves criminals stealing you plates to disguise a vehicle often leading to fines or legal complications for the owner. Offenders steal plates for a number of reasons: to commit fuel theft, parking offences, speeding violations, congestion charge evasion, or even more serious criminal activity while avoiding identification. Number plates that are loosely fitted or fitted with standard screws are particularly vulnerable, as they can be quickly removed.

Signs your plates have been stolen:  Missing front or/and rear plates, receiving fines or parking notices for offences you have not committed and discrepancies in vehicle records.

Immidiate action to take: Report to local Police and insurance company. Replace your plates legally. Prompt reporting ensures you are not held responsible for offences committed with your stolen plates. 

Prevention measures: Use anti-theft screws, Install theft resistant plates, stay vigilant and buy plates from trusted suppliers.

The difference between theft and cloning: Theft is the pysical removal of number plates whilst Cloning is copying your registration number to create fake plates without taking your originals. Both can result in fines or legal issues but theft involves the direct loss of your plates.

I will be soon arranging a Police surgery in Stockport town centre where i will be handing out anti-theft screws. I will add another post soon to let you know the date and location.

Kind regards

Stockport town centre policing team.