REGINA – Regina police are warning drivers to double-check the back of their vehicles after a doubling in licence plate thefts.
From January to April, police said approximately 100 plates have gone missing. At this time last year, just over 50 vehicle licence plates had been stolen.
Staff Sgt. Brad Walter, the NCO in charge of street crimes, said plates are often taken off one vehicle and then put on a stolen vehicle.
The stolen vehicles are then used for break and enters, shoplifting or simply concealing the identity of the stolen vehicle so it can continue to be on the road.
“We used to see where someone would steal a vehicle, drive it for a while – at one time it was a couple of hours – and ditch it and move onto another one,” Walter said.
“But now we’re seeing stolen autos that are being retained for longer periods of time and then that vehicle can drive around undetected.”
According to Walter, thieves will typically take a plate from another similar model.
The original vehicle could be mistaken for stolen if the plate is swapped, but police will do further investigation if that happens.
To help combat the thefts, Regina police said vehicle owners should regularly look to verify the plate is their own and quickly contact police if it doesn’t match.
The original licence plate number will then get added to Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC), a Canada-wide database.
“If it was just a quick check of a vehicle that was driving by that we were interested but if the plate matches, we may move on to a more important file or investigation,” Walter said.
“But if it pops up as a stolen vehicle, we’ll try to initiate a traffic stop or do an investigation on that.”
Walter added it’s also important for Regina residents to contact SGI after they tell police their plate has been stolen.
There are also different type of fasteners that can help secure a plate and parking in well-lit areas may deter thieves.
If someone sees another person taking a licence plate in an unusual area, such as a shopping mall with lots of cars, they can also contact police.
However, Walter added it is not unusual to see someone taking off a licence plate outside of a registration shop or a car lot.
If a person is caught stealing a licence plate, Walter said they will be charged under the Criminal Code for Theft Under $5,000.
“It’s a tough thing to prevent because it’s fairly easy to do, take a screwdriver, two bolts, two screws and you got the plate,” Walter said.
To report a stolen plate, contact Regina police at 306-777-6500.
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