Number Plates

[starider]

Hi, Being a neighbourhood Watch "rep", I often receive Emails from the police with security advice. A recently item suggested that number plates fitted to many vehicles are just fitted using double sided tape and are easily pulled off,or other plates just stuck on over the ones, by thieves.I have just secured all our vehicle number plates with one-way screws which can only be removed with a lot of time and trouble.These screws are covered by appropriate coloured caps, which then prevents other plates being stuck over the top.All items available on Ebay. You don't have to do anything to the stuck on plates just drill and fit screws and caps. The caps come in three colours black, white and yellow. I measured the plates on all 3 vehicles to look neat.The yellow and white caps are obvious but some times a hole needs to be drilled through a number/letter, hence the black screws.

[ThuMentaliss]

Best quality (adhesive doubled - sided IBM)  is from my experience nigh on impossible to shift without the use of a heat gun, how do I know this ? because I've applied this knowledge to three vehicles number plates (customers)

[starider]

Hi Larry,

Sorry to disagree, but I've been in and around the motor trade for nigh on 50years and have used number plates from the time we had a jig to punch holes in the new bare plates and then rivet the letters/numbers on,using star washers. I have used trade quality double sided tape since it's inception and I agree on odd occasions "stuck" on plates can be difficult to remove, but my comment is how does anyone know that plates are well stuck on. Surely it's better to be safe than sorry. Knowing how insurance companies will always try not to pay out on a claim for any reason, I suspect that having properly secured number plates[in view of the huge increase in vehicle theft] could be the next item to appear on vehicle insurance policies.

I've watched CCTV clips showing thieves ripping off number plates,often with great difficulty,but even the most well stuck come off eventually.

Edited December 12, 2023 by starider

[Rojie]

An interesting discussion.

 

What's my view.

 

I believe if a thief sets their gaze on one of my vehicles, the number plates will be the last of their concerns.

Overcoming anti-theft systems should be more troublesome.

 

I can't even remember which have stick-on and which have (plastic) bolt on !