Registration plates are a target for criminals, in this blog post, we will explain why and then provide a couple of ways to try and protect you from this issue.
This recently happened to me and after a discussion with a lovely lady from the AA who squared me away with replacement plates, it was apparent this is becoming a larger issue. When I worked for the Police, I remember taking reports of this reasonably regularly, however, I believe this is now becoming an increasing issue in bigger cities.
Why?
The reasons are numerous, and the root causes are open for discussion with many political views from all sides on the causes, fixes and reasons behind it. However, if you want to boil it down to specific intentions, they can include:
Fuel Theft - Performing petrol drive-offs, with fuel prices so high criminals think this will get them fuel without having to pay
Criminal Activity - To buy them more time with a stolen car, changing the Rego may help them slip under the radar. This car can then be used in ram raids, burglaries, gang-related activity and many other types of crime
Quick Changes - If a stolen car is used in a crime the criminals may stop a short way from the scene and change the Rego quickly in the hope the Police will be looking for the other Rego plate
Toll Avoidance - To avoid toll roads, auto tolls are based on reading the Rego only
Social Justice - Some people steal Rego plates to simply make their own statement, items such as environmentalists not being a fan of the car you drive, angry people not being happy that you park on their street or to get a small amount of revenge for any slight real or imagined
So the reasons for stealing a Rego are varied, but rarely good and always a bit of an inconvenience. So we will run through some steps to take to try to prevent this, as well as some advice on what to do immediately upon discovery of the theft.
Prevention
All emergency responders will agree that prevention can be the best way to manage these situations, it's not a guarantee, however. Criminals may still take steps to circumvent any preventative measures you put in place, however, you want to make everything seem as secure as possible to deter the 'have a go' thieves. Steps you can take to prevent theft of your Rego include:
Park in view of cameras. If criminals see a camera looking at them (be it professional or private) they are less likely to risk getting recorded in the commission of a crime
Use tamper-proof screws. Police stations and car part places are usually in stock with tamper-proof screws for rego plates, some schemes with Police are even giving them away for free. Check with your local Police first to see if you can get them under the scheme
Park in well-lit areas. Criminals like the cover of darkness, if possible, park in an area that will make them visible and this will deter the more apprehensive criminal.
Those steps should help make you less of a target for Rego thieves, however, they are not a guarantee. People have taken all the steps above and their Rego has still been stolen.
So what should you do if yours gets stolen?
If you discover the Rego is stolen you should call the Police to advise ASAP. This plate may be getting used in serious crime, Police will be responding based on the registration details so you will want to make sure you log these as stolen so Police are able to respond appropriately.
When making the report to the Police, you will want to get a Police Report Number. This will be required when getting replacement plates, you are also quite likely to be pulled over by Police for driving with no Rego plate - the report number helps them to verify the story (It is also a good idea to have your ID so they can verify that if required)
You will then need to drop into an approved facility to get Rego plates, in NZ you find the AA will be able to give you replacement plates on the spot. Note: These will be different plates, if you want the same Rego (custom plates, ones you are attached to) these will take longer and you may be pulled over by Police regularly while waiting for them to arrive.
Update your insurance, rego and RUC's (if applicable). All of these items have your old registration on them and need to be updated, this is obviously only required if you have taken the new plates
Being aware of the above is important so you know what to expect in the event this happens to you, just remember the Police may be suspicious for reasons you do not know. It's not great that you are the victim of the crime, but they do not know if you were the suspect in a larger crime and will be making sure they are safe and doing their job.
The longer you drive without Rego plates, the more times you are likely to deal with Police so just remember to be patient with the process while your Rego plates arrive. Police do not want to inconvenience you, but they don't want to pass by a potential criminal or suspicious vehicle without checking on the situation.
There are a few notes I want to add in closing, these are just some thoughts to consider that are not mentioned above:
If you decide to re-order the same Registration plate, you should also be prepared for the Police to come and check on your vehicle in the event that Rego is used in the commission of a crime
If you're doing a lot of commuting without a Rego plate, you can stick a sign with the Rego in your back window and on your dashboard. This is not a guarantee the Police won't pull you over to confirm but might reduce the amount of times this happens
If only one plate is stolen, ask the advice of the Police as to whether they recommend leaving it on the car where it is, re-locating or removing it entirely
So, in summary, you can take steps to make your car a less likely target - but you cannot guarantee this is going to work.
References/Links:
(SecuriKiwi is not sponsoring or endorsing suppliers, the links are provided for reference only.)
News stories:
Links to purchase screws (NZ):
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