PeteBrant

Came out to the car this morning and some ****er has had my number plates away. Unscrewed the back one and ripped the front one off, leaving half the thread in the inserts.

They obviously made a beeline for me car, because there are 7 apartments in my buidling, and a car park at the front, which only has one entrance, from the the main road, and my car is parked nearest the house.

Reported it to the old bill and they told me to expect a massive congestion charge bill or such like , and obviously went and bought new plates. I am considering mounting some from of weapon behind the plate so that when someone tries to rip off the plate, it shoots them in the face.

OllyK

Happened to me a number of years ago, but never heard any more about it

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

If you have ever considered a private plate, maybe now is the time? At least that way you won't have to prove that it was not you committing the offence you will no doubt be billed for through the post.

In any road make sure you keep all the details the officers gave you. Their contact details, station, ref number the whole works. You are probably going to need them

PeteBrant

Yup - I have got all the details given to me in my wallet, and there they are going to stay until I sell the car!

MattW

And log your journeys.

RussBoy

Actually...now you can pop into the City without paying the charge

Bakerman

Hasn't he already got a private (i.e. unique) plate, what difference will that make ?

I would assume his car is the same as their car hence plates nicked, same scenario with a private plate.

joey_turbo

iTrader: (26)

Happened to me a few years back on my trusty Uno.
I drove a good few miles late at night and only nocticed when I got in.
Reported it. Got pulled over a few weeks later as the cops said the vehicle had been reported as stolen. Sorted it out, but never had any comebacks.
It is annoying, I felt the same and wanted to stick razors around the edge of the plate. But its never happened since, and MAYBE it never will.

scoob_babe

Happened to my mum and another colleague's car at Hull Uni years back. Plates were found at the scene of a ram-raid. When the police checked the DVLA, I think it must have been obvious that a metro and a fiesta weren't the culprits!!!!!!!

r32

Oh dear, I'd sell the car. Even though you have reported it, the scamera partnerships and the councils wont be bothered about that, its down to you. Expect a fine or two ........... or three or four.

PeteBrant

Well they won't get any money from me so its not really a worry in that respect.

Tam the bam

Cheaper alternative (as Luminous said) might be to get a private reg put on the car, reg changed = problem solved

PeteBrant

Would that work? I mean is the orignal registration not still "on record" as being for that car. If you were yo,say, sell the car and keep the plate, does the registration not revert to the original one?

Tam the bam

I'm not entirely sure tbh, I'd have thought the original reg no would matter in the eyes of the law as your car would have the new reg I'm sure one of SN's experts will be along to clarify soon though

Mitchy260

What difference would a private plate make

The registration would still be linked to the original owners address for fines/tickets etc

PeteBrant

That's what I thought - But I don't know for sure.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Pete, get a private plate like GAY 80Y, I can guarantee no-one will nick your plates again

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Erm, umm, errrr..... People ask what difference a private reg would make!?

Today is 8/2/2008. As of this day it is reasonable to assume that there is a similar car and colour with his plate running around. That plate points to Petebrant. Any offenses committed will be assumed to be his until he proves otherwise.

If he changes his plate to "ITS NOT ME", then when the camera takes a picture of the retard who took his plate its entirely obvious its not Pete's car (the picture will show his old plate). Not to mention the records will no longer point to Pete.

Granted any offenses already committed, or ones committed before the plate is changed will come to Pete. He will then have to prove it was not him.

At the moment, if the police are doing their job, there should be a stop "warrant" (no idea of the technical term) on Pete's plate. The police know there are two cars with his reg, and therefore every time they encounter his plate on ANPR they will stop the car to see who is behind the wheel. At present Pete risks getting stopped quite often by the police if they operate ANPR on their patrol cars. Or if he goes into central London. Just image driving up near 10 Downing street where all the cameras are! The ANPR will pickup his plate and the terrorist branch will have to assume its the bunch of crims that stole it

Pete, make sure you have proof of ID on you at all times Could save you an awful lot of hassle

PeteBrant

Hmm - D'ya think there's a chance that DCI will sell it to me then?

PeteBrant

That's what I'm not sure on - When you get a private plate - does the old plate still reside with the car?

And yes - ID is with me at all times from now on

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Not sure if the old plate is still not attached in some way to the car. However, the fact that you have a new plate, with new letters that are different to any recorded parking ticket/speeding fine whatever means they are stuffed when it comes to proving it was you, especially as you logged the theft with the police.

In some ways you have been lucky, the thief was dumb enough to actually steal your plates. Most people have their car cloned by making up new plates. That way they do not know until there is a knock on the door!

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Oh dear You sure you are not having a boring Friday out to make people type into their keyboards just for your amusement?

If a thief steals a plate reading BIG KN0B, it will always show those letters. It will be attached to his car showing those letters. When the car is photographed or details recorded it will be recorded as BIG KN0B.

Meanwhile Pete changes his plate to ITS NOT ME, and registers this change.

When the thief commits more offences the pictures show BIG KN0B. If it were Pete committing the offences it would show ITS NOT ME.

The two are very different.

Mitchy260

Get you now Luminous.

The original old plates stay with the car throughout its life. He would still receive the fines, it would just be easier to prove i suppose.

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Yes, exactly, that is the point. The onus of proof is now for the scamera parthnership to prove it was him.

nooobyscoooby

And if you lose your wallet? Put them safe with the car registration in the house and carry a photocopy of both in case you are stopped.

nooobyscoooby

Make sure your new plates are different to the old ones. Yes, I know te letters and number have to be the same but get an England or GB or someting included in the plate and takes photos with two independent witnesses for the dae you fitted it with anti-theft screws so if the plods come calling about speeding tickets/pictures you can show your plates are different to the nicked ones.

NotoriousREV

That's not true. The old plates would show as not issued. In reality, it's likely that once a private plate is transferred off a vehicle that the car would get it's old number back, but it doesn't always happen as the number can be reissued to another vehicle. If you put a private plate on your car, that is the reg of your car, not whatever the old reg was.

PeteBrant

Upate.

Got a phone call from the police yesterday. They have got the people that nicked them on camera. Apparantly they were driving around Horsham like a couple of ***** and the police spotted them, ran a PNC check and of course they plate was flagged up as being nicked - Apparantly I should hear something positive in the next week.

DCI Gene Hunt

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Not after how long it took me to buy it off Swiss