What Car? Q&A - How big is number plate theft?

Q: I have recently heard of a spate of crimes where criminals have taken number plates from parked cars, attached them to other cars (presumably stolen) and then incurred parking, speeding and the London congestion charge fines as well as failing to pay for petrol.

The original owner of the number plate then incurs all sorts of problems trying to prove it was not them driving the car, or indeed that the number plates were attached to the wrong car. According to my local police force, this is a growing problem.

What are the best fixings to use for a number plate in order to deter criminals from taking them and where can I get hold of these fixings?
Jeremy Leach

A: Thousands of number plates are stolen every year and put onto other cars so that they can be resold, used in crimes, and so that the drivers can evade fines and drive-away from fuel stations without paying.

New standards were introduced last summer to make number plates more difficult to steal. They require compliant plates to resist attack for at least three minutes, but only a few dealerships are fitting them to new cars as it's a voluntary standard.

You can buy the more secure plates yourself, if you prefer. You'll need to find a registered plate supplier and be prepared to spend twice as much as you would on a normal plate (so about £30).

Hills Numberplates was the first company to unveil a secure design last summer, so get in touch with Hills if you're having difficulty finding a supplier (tel 0121 623 8050, web www.hillsnumberplates.com).

If you find your number plates are missing, you should inform the police immediately to help prevent further illegal activity and to avoid being wrongly accused of crimes.