An increasing number of thefts from vehicles are Vehicle Registration Plates. These are often used for other crimes such as fuel station ‘drive offs’, avoiding speeding/traffic offences and avoiding paying the London congestion charges.
Ways to Secure you Number Plate
1. Use epoxy resin to glue the existing screw to the surface of the number plate. Once set, this would cause the plate to shatter or break around the screw if force was used to turn it.
2. Remove and replace any damaged or rusted screws with new security screws to be glued to the index plate.
3. Where the index plate is glued to the vehicle, the owner should be advised to obtain commercially available, tamper-proof index plates. These are designed to shatter if removed.
Operation CAPS
Vehicle registration plates are considered to be soft targets and are quickly and easily removed. Bedfordshire Police are running a scheme to help raise awareness of number plate thefts, and provide you with the opportunity to glue existing number plates on making them more secure or, in the case of damaged screws, replace them with star pin security ones and glue these into place. This will ensure they are difficult to move and help reduce crimes associated with number plates thefts.
Bedfordshire Police and trained volunteers will be armed with a portable toolbox containing everything needed to secure number plates and will be seen throughout Bedfordshire, helping vehicle owners secure their plates.
Operation CAPS events will appear on the events section the website, as well as posters around Police stations, with dates, times and locations. You will see the operation in the car parks of local superstores, retail parks and at various community events.
You will also have the opportunity to receive additional vehicle crime prevention advice.
Permission must be obtained from you prior to any alteration being made and recorded on disclaimer forms.