So whats the deal with people stealing license plates ?

[alfa147x]

So we bought the Acura RDX and we just got our license plate and my dad when to auto zone and bought these screws that need specialized key to undo

so how often do people steal plates?

plus im working on a real in depth review of the RDX ill post it in a few days

 

[IronWing]

Folks who haven't registered their cars (usually because they can't afford insurance) steal the plates to make their cars look registered.

 

[alfa147x]

has anyone ever had their plate stolen ?

 

[Apex]

I've heard of plate frames getting stolen a lot (especially 11-99), but not plates too often.

 

[livingsacrifice]

I had a family member get their plate stolen but the car was at an autotech to get fixed so who knows what the high school kids who were working on it were doing. They also smashed the windsheild.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Never heard of it myself. Sounds pretty messed up.. Kill 'em.

 

[ys]

My plate was stolen and the thief was kind enough to put a plate with expired tag in its place, nicely screwed in too. The thief was caught months later and ordered to reimburse new plate fee to me. I also had the tag sticker peeled off. I score the sticker with knife now.

 

[Kelvrick]

My coworker had someone try to steal the registration sticker off her car. She'd cut it after putting it on so that it'd rip as someone tried to remove it.

Guess they go angry because of the failed job, so they kicked in her rear panel, leaving a nice big dent.

Her car got stolen last week though, so now she's looking for a new one.

 

[exdeath]

Originally posted by: ironwing
Folks who haven't registered their cars (usually because they can't afford insurance) steal the plates to make their cars look registered.

:roll:

But they can afford beer, spinners, and DVDs, or buy a vehicle that they really can't afford so they can be "ballin" and don't think about gas/insurance/registration/etc

Or maybe they are illegals doing what they do best taking the cheap way out by stealing someone else's since they don't have an identity and can't be held accountable.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: ironwing
Folks who haven't registered their cars (usually because they can't afford insurance) steal the plates to make their cars look registered.

Huh? You don't need insurance to register your car. Even in IL, where insurance is required. Is this some funky state thing?

 

[alfa147x]

Originally posted by: Kelvrick
My coworker had someone try to steal the registration sticker off her car. She'd cut it after putting it on so that it'd rip as someone tried to remove it.

Guess they go angry because of the failed job, so they kicked in her rear panel, leaving a nice big dent.

Her car got stolen last week though, so now she's looking for a new one.

damn your coworker goes to the wrong side of town

 

[Demo24]

I've heard of it in Europe where speed camera are an issue, but you don't hear much about it in the US. Probably because it serves little benefit to steal it and more than likely to screw over the person that does.

 

[Hecubus28]

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: ironwing
Folks who haven't registered their cars (usually because they can't afford insurance) steal the plates to make their cars look registered.

Huh? You don't need insurance to register your car. Even in IL, where insurance is required. Is this some funky state thing?

Fiqured it was like this in most states, but in Arkansas you have to take your proof of insurance in with you to get your tags.

 

[IronWing]

Originally posted by: Hecubus28

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: ironwing
Folks who haven't registered their cars (usually because they can't afford insurance) steal the plates to make their cars look registered.

Huh? You don't need insurance to register your car. Even in IL, where insurance is required. Is this some funky state thing?

Fiqured it was like this in most states, but in Arkansas you have to take your proof of insurance in with you to get your tags.

The three states where I've registered cars required proof of insurance to register (AZ, WY, KY).

 

[compnovice]

Originally posted by: ys
My plate was stolen and the thief was kind enough to put a plate with expired tag in its place, nicely screwed in too. The thief was caught months later and ordered to reimburse new plate fee to me. I also had the tag sticker peeled off. I score the sticker with knife now.

:laugh: Stupid criminals nominee...

 

[Colt45]

The only plates i've heard of getting stolen are the NWT ones, because they're cool. people nab them as souvenirs or something.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wi...ries_License_Plate.jpg

 

[Dudewithoutapet]

Originally posted by: DEMO24
I've heard of it in Europe where speed camera are an issue, but you don't hear much about it in the US. Probably because it serves little benefit to steal it and more than likely to screw over the person that does.

With red light cameras on the rise, I guess that can apply here soon as well?

Anyways, I've heard people stealing stickers, happened to my family once and we have since began cutting them after putting them on. Never heard of anyone jacking the plate though. I guess taking the plate would give you more time to take the sticker?

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Dudewithoutapet

Originally posted by: DEMO24
I've heard of it in Europe where speed camera are an issue, but you don't hear much about it in the US. Probably because it serves little benefit to steal it and more than likely to screw over the person that does.

With red light cameras on the rise, I guess that can apply here soon as well?

Anyways, I've heard people stealing stickers, happened to my family once and we have since began cutting them after putting them on. Never heard of anyone jacking the plate though. I guess taking the plate would give you more time to take the sticker?

Stealing the stickers is moronic. Cops are constantly RUNNING plates as they cruise around the city, and if your registration comes up as expired, they don't care WHAT the stickers say. Maybe this isn't true in all areas, but in Seattle they have their computer sitting there right next to them and they're constantly typing in the numbers they see around them. It was actually somewhat comforting to see that--you don't have to be a complete idiot to get caught with a stolen car.
Not to mention that it won't help you out in an accident either, because they'll ask for your registration and run your plates and your DL. And it doesn't allow you to hit-and-run, because your plate number is still registered to you, expired or not!

I wouldn't cut them, though, if people still try to steal them they'll get it halfway off and then get pissed. I'd rather have them steal the sticker, and then when I notice (or get pulled over I suppose) I'll just go to the DOL and explain that the registration is current (see?), but someone had stolen them.

Stealing the plates themselves at least makes some sense...I'd imagine that if you drove a Civic or something really common, stealing plates would be one way to keep it "current" without having to pay money...

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: alfa147x

Originally posted by: Kelvrick
My coworker had someone try to steal the registration sticker off her car. She'd cut it after putting it on so that it'd rip as someone tried to remove it.

Guess they go angry because of the failed job, so they kicked in her rear panel, leaving a nice big dent.

Her car got stolen last week though, so now she's looking for a new one.

damn your coworker goes to the wrong side of town

Haha. The registration thing was done inside the building parking lot (30 story building, first five floor split in half between lobby/bank and garage). She was parked on the first floor, right around the corner from the booth attendant. This is in downtown area. Not so nice at night, but in the day, plenty of traffic everywhere.

Stolen? Outside her house on her driveway. In "ok" part of town.

EDIT: She does drive a 2001 civic though, so that probably upped the odds.

 

[1prophet]

Are they putting them on similar cars, since the police now have the ability to do a real time registration search of a car by scanning its license plate even while traveling in the opposite direction?

Would be kind of dumb to take a plate from a ford escort and put it on a buick.