Daughter parked her car on the road outside our house last night. The number plates are missing today. She has informed the police who are coming round later for a statement, but I guess that means some scroat will be speeding and bilking, and she will always be getting pulled over in future, in these days of ANPR.
She can't afford to change the car so she's stuck with it.
And I live in what I'd call a "nice area" yet this year we have been burgled (by out of towners, now behind bars) and now this. What is the world coming to?
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I suppose they will have stolen the plates to put on a car of the same make, model and colour.
If you are lucky it will just be to get away with MoT/VED/insurance infractions, but I suppose it's a bit much to hope that the criminal mind will have the consideration to stop at that
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I don't normally support sharia law - but I do in the case of theft!
Presumably, if the thieving scrotes are out and about in a vehicle with those number plates, then they too are likely to be pulled over once the stolen plate is reported?
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>> Presumably, if the thieving scrotes are out and about in a vehicle with those number
>> plates, then they too are likely to be pulled over once the stolen plate is
>> reported?
>>
I doubt it somehow. The opposite in fact - the number will check out for MoT, VED and insurance. 'They' won't have been smart enough to have a special flag for stolen plates on the database. I hope to be proved wrong.
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How does this differ from having the plates copied by the thieves, apart from:
1) you know about it
2) the thieves are perhaps more likely to be stopped, because you have reported it
3) you will need to buy new plates ?
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Not much really. An intelligent criminal mind might be better advised just to buy a set from ebay for £10 rather than alert the victim and the system up front, especially if all they want to do is avoid tax and insurance. Except I don't think the system can bear on it much.
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The problem with buying new plates on ebay is they have to be delivered somewhere, giving a trail.
I believe a new reg number can be issued by DVLA in this case.
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"The problem with buying new plates on ebay is they have to be delivered somewhere, giving a trail."
Plenty of dodgy people in the motor trade who have access to the necessary equipment to provide a set of cloned plates no questions asked. Would think actual number plate thefts are quite rare.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Thu 10 Oct 13 at 14:46
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>> Plenty of dodgy people in the motor trade who have access to the necessary equipment
>> to provide a set of cloned plates no questions asked. Would think actual number plate
>> thefts are quite rare.
>>
Dream on... These days plates are printed using a computer.
Once printed, the number, date time etc, is stored on the hard drive, in a secure file.
IF a plate is made illegally, the dealer can lose their licence, meaning they cannot make, supply or fit numberplates. That effectively puts them out of business.
The fact is, number plate thefts are quite common, hence the government, and numberplate manufacturers looking into 'smart plates' ie plates fitted with RFID tags.
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>> looking into 'smart plates' ie plates fitted with RFID tags.
Which can not be read by passing coppers with ANPR
Makes them a waste of time really.
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>>
>> >> looking into 'smart plates' ie plates fitted with RFID tags.
>> Which can not be read by passing coppers with ANPR
>>
>> Makes them a waste of time really.
>>
???
Just to clarify, they will still have numbers and letters on them!
As a slight aside... is your dog 'chipped'?
Last edited by: swiss tony on Thu 10 Oct 13 at 21:43
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>> >>
>> >> >> looking into 'smart plates' ie plates fitted with RFID tags.
>>
>> >> Which can not be read by passing coppers with ANPR
>> >>
>> >> Makes them a waste of time really.
>> >>
>>
>> ???
>> Just to clarify, they will still have numbers and letters on them!
Of course, but the RFID tag is not going to be read by a passing police car, or even the copper that stops you.
>> As a slight aside... is your dog 'chipped'?
Of course, but the RFID tag is not going to be read by a passing police car, or even the copper that stops you.
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>> Of course, but the RFID tag is not going to be read by a passing police car, or even the copper that stops you.
>>
>>
>> >> As a slight aside... is your dog 'chipped'?
>>
>> Of course, but the RFID tag is not going to be read by a passing police car, or even the copper that stops you.
>>
Correct in both instances.
But... when either are located/stopped then the RFID can be used to find out information, ie legitimate owners, where the chip was inserted/plates made up etc.
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I would ensure that some distinguishing attachment or large identifiable sticker is stuck on the rear of daughters car to distinguish it from the cloned version which may well be of the same model and colour.
This will ensure that if any speeding tickets come through to daughter the photo would readily identify if it is or is not the cloned version....
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>> I would ensure that some distinguishing attachment or large identifiable sticker is stuck on the
>> rear of daughters car
Good idea. And maybe get new plates of a different appearance - e.g. with or without the GB bit.
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That is a very good idea, thanks - will suggest...
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Changing the appearance of the car would be a standard response, so it looks different in an enforcement photo.
A 'marker' can and probably will be placed on the PNC (Police National Computer) for your daughter's car, so that if it is out and about in dubious or semi-dubious circumstances a quick check will reveal the plate theft and an enquiry with the occupants can ensue, to see which car is which.
Make sure your daughter keeps it well road legal.. and doesn't risk that extra glass of wine, etc.
Keep any correspondence from the Police and especially the crime number...if you get parking tickets and/or scamera van stuff...it may take more than the first phone call/letter to convince them.
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>>Keep any correspondence from the Police and especially the crime number
>>
Crime number on your phone might help if stopped ?
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>> Crime number on your phone might help if stopped ?
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That ought not to be a problem, a quick check of the VIN number should cover that.
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>> >> I would ensure that some distinguishing attachment or large identifiable sticker is stuck on the ear of daughters car
>>
Maybe something on the front in case of photos of the front?
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>> Good idea. And maybe get new plates of a different appearance - e.g. with or
>> without the GB bit.
>>
Halfords supply plates that look as if there are just the registration characters and nowt else..
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A number of years ago I had an odd call from the car lease company asking if I was still driving it.... an odd question I thought - they ought to know. Anyway, someone had tried getting the 'car' repaired somewhere at their expense. So it sounded like someone had cloned mine.
Police were involved and I asked about getting summonses etc in the post for speeding which seemed possible. I was told to send them on to the police to deal with if I did get them. They also wanted to setup the driver to get them to come back to the garage but nothing came of it.
And more recently I made aware of number plate thefts and my Mazda at the time had plates that were only stuck on... so I got them screwed on. And even more recently I drove off in my Passat and heard an odd scraping noise.... front number plate partly off.... got a kit from local PCSO to fix it with one way security screws.
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Could she not get any APNR flags removed?
Another cheaper option might be to buy a cheap Northern Irish plate and transfer that onto it, it will look naff but at least it will stop the APNR alerts.
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You could just get a different registration number - no need to go for a NI plate. But there might be a cost. In fact if I suspected my own car was cloned I'd do that to remove my old plate from any databases so the other plate is flagged up :-)
Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 10 Oct 13 at 19:08
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" I doubt it somehow. The opposite in fact - the number will check out for MoT, VED and insurance. 'They' won't have been smart enough to have a special flag for stolen plates on the database. I hope to be proved wrong."
Sorry to disappoint you.
The reg will indeed be flagged as having been stolen from the car (if the attending Officer has sent the report to PNC)
'They' are also smart enough to note any distinguishing marks on the genuine car (stickers, union flags on reg plate etc). BUT, these have to be notified for the information to be added. The information out is only as good as the information in.
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>>
>> " I doubt it somehow. The opposite in fact - the number will check out
>> for MoT, VED and insurance. 'They' won't have been smart enough to have a special
>> flag for stolen plates on the database. I hope to be proved wrong."
>>
>> Sorry to disappoint you.
I'm not disappointed at all mlc, as I suggested. And I'll be seriously impressed if it's picked up on bulk ANPR checks?
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Few years back a colleague had his car cloned. First he became aware was when he started to receive parking tickets acquired in central London when he was in Bath.
Caused him quite a bit of grief and plod even accused him of having the cloned car and wanted him to prove his innocence.
He quickly got shot of it to avoid further hassle
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Thanks for the input all, it's a Kia Ceed
Community policeman came round and took a statement, said it would be recorded and put on PNC, other than that don't hold yer breath - I didn't really expect much else. Hardly serious, in the scheme of things but, as with most petty crime, inconvenient, and an unnecessary expense.
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When I saw this post, I assumed the car is Vauxhall/Ford/VW.
Bit surprised to know that it is Kia Ceed [and worried because I have same one!] Ceed is not yet that common car.
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I was under the impression NI plates were cheaper as a lot of cowboy bus and coach outfits use them, but actually they just buy them to hide the true age of the clapped out vehicles they are using.
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yes, its cheaper than buying new coaches. Nearly every private hire coach company does it.
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>> And I live in what I'd call a "nice area" yet this year we have
>> been burgled (by out of towners, now behind bars) and now this. What is the
>> world coming to?
Dunno, but its a part of the world I would move away from.
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Having had a free 'prat plate' on retention for 3 years I finally decided to put it on my motor. I paid £18 for 3 plates (one for my little used trailer) off Ebay. They were promptly delivered the very next day, all fixings included. An excellent service, fully legal plates, but I was surprised I had to provide no documentation whatsoever.
My local pain dealer in town wanted more than 3x that amount!
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>> Having had a free 'prat plate' on retention for 3 years I finally decided to
>> put it on my motor. I paid £18 for 3 plates (one for my little
>> used trailer) off Ebay. They were promptly delivered the very next day, all fixings included.
>> An excellent service, fully legal plates, but I was surprised I had to provide no
>> documentation whatsoever.
>> My local pain dealer in town wanted more than 3x that amount!
If there was no documentation then I think there might be a legal issue for someone. Do they show the appropriate British Standard marking and the makers name and postcode?
Having said that I've just taken over Mrs B's old car. Her personal plate has gone to new Berlingo and mine has reverted to the KU05 mark it was allocated on first registration.
I bought new screws and re-installed original plates that had been stored in garage for eight years. Hopefully no offence committed.
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>> An excellent service, fully legal plates, but I was surprised I had to provide no documentation whatsoever.
NOT LEGAL then.....
www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/getting-number-plates-made-up
'3. Getting number plates made up
You can only get a number plate made up from a registered number plate supplier.
The supplier will need to see original documents that:
prove your name and address
show you’re allowed to use the registration number'
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Would I think twice about getting new plates off ebay (or the net) without any documentation handed over?
No
Will they appear perfectly legal with all the correct looking bit in the right places?
Yes
Will there ever be any comeback, issues or problems with running with these plates?
No
The only reason the OPs plates were stolen was because they need a reg to match a type of car/colour, and it was easier to find that match on the street.
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>> Would I think twice about getting new plates off ebay
The last pair I bought this way were £10.99 delivered. They were sold as fully legal and appear to be.
I have just entered the postcode of the supplier here
www.gov.uk/number-plate-supplier
and found that the supplier is registered, so no problem for me.
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Police have been in touch with daughter overnight, the number plates have already been used for one bilking. No info on whether it was a Ceed or some other make. If that was the intended
purpose then it could go on and on for her... and I expect that she will often get stops, especially if it is also a Kia Ceed - maybe if they identified a different car type they can put a flag on the marker to say only stop if it's not a Ceed.
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Plod just knocked - £117 worth of fuel at a local petrol stn last night, wanted a statement from daughter. She isn't here, but told him we did all that last night with a colleague.
So, £117 - they must have had something bigger than a Ceed!! I guess they will pass the plates round their mates... I wonder if her would get blacklisted at service stations?
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>> So, £117 - they must have had something bigger than a Ceed!!
Or a few jerry cans in the boot.
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try anti theft screws for next time
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>> try anti theft screws for next time
>>
What? Like these?
tinyurl.com/neww9ax
£5.99 from Halfords. The specialist locking tool seems to be an allen key!
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Locking tool appears to be black circular bit with two spigots poking out.
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>> Locking tool appears to be black circular bit with two spigots poking out.
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Ah! Yes, I see. Thank you.
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The front plate on my car is on a slightly curved surface, the sticky pads did not work well so I put a pop rivet through each end, That should be theft proof if the scroat wants them intact, unless he has a drill with the appropriate sized bit in his back pocket.
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>> The front plate on my car is on a slightly curved surface, the sticky pads did not work well so I put a pop rivet through each end,
For future reference
Just been through the saga of curved front plinth on an M3 and pads not working.
A air gun paint stripper warmed the plate and I then gently bent it and allowed it to cool curved. Sorted.
The previously detached plate was retrieved and put on the dash.
The hot sun through the glass reshaped it into a strange shape.
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>> Locking tool appears to be black circular bit with two spigots poking out.
That you can get from most market stalls selling cheapo tools and the like. But looking at that particular tool, a pair of pointy nosed pliers would suffice.
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Aren't there plates that shatter if you try and remove them?
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>> Aren't there plates that shatter if you try and remove them?
>>
My cheapskate variation on the theme would be to get a tube of Evo-stik and glue the whole of the number plate backing to the car bumper.
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Well get your daughter to cash in whilst she can, free fuel and let off with speeding and parking fines etc...
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Just a thought - should she inform her insurers? I guess the answer is yes but it will then affect her premiums...
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>> >> Aren't there plates that shatter if you try and remove them?
>> >>
>> My cheapskate variation on the theme would be to get a tube of Evo-stik and
>> glue the whole of the number plate backing to the car bumper.
>>
Problem with fixing them permanently to the car is the rear one will delaminate. If we were allowed proper plates which were built to last permanent fixing would work.
The yellow plastic tat that passes for a plate these days will require replacing if you keep the car more than three years. I replaced the rear plate on my car earlier this year. I sealed it with wax round the edges to stop anything getting in, I can now see the cover separating from the middle of the backing plate and letters. As that grows it will become an MOT advisory then fail.
Last edited by: gmac on Sun 13 Oct 13 at 12:22
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It is possible to get metal reflective plates.
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Can you ? Where do you get those from ?
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Simple tip when drilling plates. Drill from the back to the front. If you drill from the front you tend to push the thin backing away allowing water ingress. Look at the number of plates that delaminate around the holes. If you drill from the back this prevents this and then as the drill bit goes through it drills normally through the thicker perspex.
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I don't drill my plates, I'd rather stick them to stop any water ingress. Similarly I always have the stick on weights when buying new tyres rather than have the weights which are hammered onto the rims cracking the paint and allowing brake dust and road salt under the lacquer.
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>> Drill from the back to the front.
Good advice. This information is (or ought to be) available as part of the simple fitting instructions when the plates are purchased.
Last edited by: Clk Sec on Sun 13 Oct 13 at 13:07
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Never had a problem with sticky pads except getting them off. I clean the surfaces with lighter fuel.
I also use a heat gun to set a bend in the plate for a curved mounting surface. Actually I think it was the boss's Tesco Value hair dryer last time.
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Framptons-you'll find them on the net.
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goo.gl/Xzd0O6 (Elite Car Care)
A better thing perhaps than delaminating plastic, but not to me worth £39.99 and the potential for arguments with bumptious officialdom.
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Metal plates(either pressed or with riveted numbers) are perfectly legal as long as they comply with the British Standard-but expensive.
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>> The yellow plastic tat that passes for a plate these days will require replacing if you keep the car more than three years.
I guess the 6+ year old ones on my Vectra are doing well then. Just like the previous ones on all my other cars that were in excess of 5 years old, and were still in good condition when the car was sold on
Last edited by: VxFan on Sun 13 Oct 13 at 18:51
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The boss's are 11 years old. The back one's going a bit round the holes, but passed its MoT. Had it not been drilled it would have been OK.
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>> The boss's are 11 years old.
As are the ones on my modest limousine. Nothing wrong with them, although I did have to replace the plastic screws a while back.
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>> The yellow plastic tat that passes for a plate these days will require replacing if
>> you keep the car more than three years.
I'll see how long they last on the new Berlingo which took up Mrs B's personal mark 2 weeks ago.
The set that came off the old one were just about legally compliant after 8 yrs actually on a car. OTOH the orginal KU05 set issued to the old car at first registration were fine to reinstall after living at back of garage since 2005.
I'd say current day laminated plates last much better than the type with raised characters on the 1973 Mini that was my first car.
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Had mine stolen on Saturday night, front and rear, up here in leafy North London.
Front was only stuck on and rear was screwed on. Odd thing is the rear screws were still tight in their holes, either they pulled the plate off, surely damaging it, or they politely put the screws back in for me. There was a one inch end section of the plate left on the floor next to the car so I have a feeling they were a little heavy handed and went away with an unsuable rear plate.
The front had a little section left on the floor also. Screw holes in car on front so new ones duly screwed on this time.
Haven't heard back from the police, not sure if it's their policy to inform me of any crimes commited with my VRN once the theft of plates have been reported.
Bought some theft resistant screws from Halfords, £2.99, the ones that screw clockwise only. Fingers crosses they'll stop it happening again!
Nial
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>> Had mine stolen on Saturday night, front and rear, up here in leafy North London.
>>
For future reference, "Up here" refers to North of Carlisle. :-)
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I must remember there is a world outside the M25, I've heard it's quite nice for driving in! :-)
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Local council offer theft proof screws for number plates - they have sessions in supermarket car parks where they will do it for free.
Might keep an eye out and go to the next one
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Also, a lot of local safer neighbourhood teams are giving them away.
Neighbour plate theft is a growing problem here in London, mostly for bilking.
I got Halfords to put a 'GB' symbol on my rear plate which wasn't on the stolen one, hopefully this will give me more evidence for appeal, should I get any speeding tickets etc.
My Corolla Verso also has a factory fitted spoiler (don't laugh) which should also help eliminate it from any enquires!
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Number plate theft - Manatee
