Community & Business
20 January, 2023
Keeping an eye on plates
Have you got your rear and front number plates? You may wonder why someone would want to steal your number plates?
![Keeping an eye on plates - feature photo](https://mareebaexpress-4634.kxcdn.com/img/containers/assets/news/tablelands-crime-wrap-1-1673834844.jpg/848209cd0b56128985ca89b0ab3e8873.jpg)
It’s very simple, if an offender steals your number plates and attaches them to another vehicle then it makes it easier for them to not be identified.
They then can sneak around committing offences such as petrol drive offs, robberies and burglaries using the vehicle with the stolen registration plates.
You need to check that your registration plates are attached to your vehicle regularly.
In some cases victims will not notice their plates missing for weeks or even months. During that time the offender has used the plates to commit a number of offences.
The victim sometimes only realises the plates are missing when they receive unpaid fines or have the police contacting them as their vehicle registration number has been linked to a number of offences in the area.
It’s very important that if your plates do go missing that you report it immediately to PoliceLink on 131 444.
Police are asking that you park your car in a secure car park or garage if you have access to one.
If you do not have access to secure carparking try to park on the street or in a public car park that is well lit and has a lot of visibility by members of the public.
Do a quick check of your car regularly to ensure your number plate is still there!