car number plate stolen

[buddug]

This morning I awoke to find my front number plate stolen. I rang the police and they logged it, and they said they will contact DVLA. Probably done overnight. No doubt I'll get several parking tickets, congestion charge fines etc, if not worse - but I'll be ok as I reported it and now have a crime number. I asked the police why did thieves only take one plate. They said they may have been disturbed before they took the back one, but added that petrol station thieves often have two different fake plates on their cars, to baffle the CCTV, although it's risky for them driving around. They may also use my plate on a car to ram a shop or commit some other crime.

I took my car to Kwik Fit later today (you have to take your V5 doc) and my new plate arrives tomorrow morning. It'll cost about ?25. The police said they'll be stopping any car with my number plate once spotted - including, he warned, me, though as long as I have my V5 I'll be fine. Has anyone else suffered this?

[lameduck]

I had my van plates nicked some years ago

didnt realise until I went to work in the motor,

drove about a few miles with no plates back and front,

like you told police, never heard anything.

you will be fine dont worry

lynne

[buddug]

Thanks Lynne. The police seem more clued up on this now than when it happened to you, as they told me it's happening a lot these days, due to the recession. Here's hoping.

[JulieP]

Both of ours were stolen earlier in the year. Police gave us the same advice - also make sure you carry the v5 doc around in case they stop you. We didn't get any fines or hear anything more about it. Got new plates from halfords and they were attached with special screws which are supposed to make them a bit more difficult to take off.

[Mrs TP]

My parents had the plates stolen off their car when visiting us 6 yrs ago and never heard any more in the way of the reg being used for illegal activity. ED police station was open at the time so we reported it there and apart from an incredibly long wait and v slow processing they were v. clued up on the situation then.

[Raeburn]

Happened to a few weeks back in Overhill Rd. My brother had borrowed my mum's car for the weekend, front and back plates taken overnight. They were personalised plates (nothing fancy, just a meaningful letters and numbers to my mother) on a Seat Ibiza, and easy to take off, so I wonder if they were just kids dicking around instead of ringers.

[bli]

Both of our plates were taken overnight last year. I reported it to police and replaced them at Halfords. The stolen plates were found a few days later on a car left at a 'scene of crime' in Ealing but I couldn't be given any details. The amusing thing was the police pound initially tried to charge me storage fees for the car with my (stolen) plates.

[James Barber]

Yuo can get number plate screws that are theft resistant.

If this theft happened in East Dulwich ward the Police should have offered them to you.

If they didnt please email me so I can chase it up with them.

[Sue]

JulieP Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Both of ours were stolen earlier in the year.

> Police gave us the same advice - also make sure

> you carry the v5 doc around in case they stop you.

> We didn't get any fines or hear anything more

> about it. Got new plates from halfords and they

> were attached with special screws which are

> supposed to make them a bit more difficult to take

> off.

xxxxxxx

I was told that screws actually make number plates easier to take off!

If you stick the number plates down with strong glue, they will break if someone tries to remove them.

ETA: Sorry, didn't know about the thief resistant screws - do they actually work?