Newham motorists warned about number plate theft

Newham Police have warned about the rising issue of number plate thefts. It’s a national problem and police say it has increased in recent years, in part due to an increase in speed cameras, a rise in petrol costs and charges to use certain roads.

Meanwhile offenders have looked at ways to hide the identities of their vehicles so they can engage in criminal activity whilst avoiding detection.

Number plates are being stolen from vehicles of all makes, models and ages.

Newham police are asking car owners to reduce the risk of being victims of car crime by and consider following these tips

*Non reversible screws have been developed to help combat this crime. They are special one-way devices that cannot be unscrewed once fitted. Any attempt to steal the plate would require force, causing the plate to break.

* Traditional number plates are fixed to vehicles using plastic bolts. If non-reversible screws are not available, it is recommended that double sided tape is used instead of plastic bolts. This makes the plate harder to remove and also may well lead to the plate breaking.

When taking your vehicle for its next garage visit why not ask for your number plates to be attached in this way?