WTF!

[jdbutler13]

Long story short I get back this morning after spending the night in emerg with my lil bro (he is OK now) and when I pull in my drive way I notice some loser has stolen my license plate.
Who in the world steels a license plate. AHHH! I reported it to the police and they tell me its a scam and happens often.
Has anyone heard about this?
Or does anyone have any random stories of there own; thought it would be a good way to air my frustration.

[sveach]

Long story short I get back this morning after spending the night in emerg with my lil bro (he is OK now) and when I pull in my drive way I notice some loser has stolen my license plate.
Who in the world steels a license plate. AHHH! I reported it to the police and they tell me its a scam and happens often.
Has anyone heard about this?
Or does anyone have any random stories of there own; thought it would be a good way to air my frustration.

Seen it happen a lot. Don't know about your area, but around here, most of the police departments won't let their officers attempt a high speed pursuit/chase. It 'caused' a few fatalities a couple years back and the city got slapped with a lawsuit - don't remember who won but it was enough to change things.

If you run a stolen plate, it'll look normal to the cop if you're just sitting in traffic. If you take off and run from the cops, they won't be able to track the plate back to you. I know plenty of people that'll run from the cops too, it's pretty common around here.

[Twism86]

You steal a car or bike. Then you find the same/ similar model and color and steal their plate or if your really sneaky swap plates. Stolen car looks legit and the other guys got the plates of a stolen vehicle on his ride.

[yurtinus]

Somebody stole the plate off of my truck last year - I'm betting that more often than not it is used on an unregistered car so they can avoid paying registration and insurance.

[bombjack]

Happens a lot here too. They are often stolen to be used for gas theft. They put the plates on a truck and ride to the gas station, fill it up, leave without paying and later dumps the stolen plates in the trash.

[mister]

One stolen plate story is.... guys steal the plate from a Speed Camera Van, put it on their car then speed past the van multiple times.

Bloke on Triumph is lane splitting. Cops in car see and try to get him to stop. He splits some more and is off so cops give up. A tad up the road he comes to grief. A lady in an SUV pulls up to see if he is alright. He jumps in her car and takes off leaving her behind. Cops discover... wrong plates for the bike and vin and other identifying numbers are gone - stolen bike! The woman's car was later found undamaged.

Michael

[thejollyroger]

I got my plates stolen off my truck a few years back. I reported it stolen the police told me that if they ran that pate agean it would be just like it was a stolen car. you will be stop with guns drone kinda thing.

I put stainless steel metric socket head cap screws on with nuts and washers. ( ok when you add a nut it becomes a bolt but lets not get technical) when I traded in my truck not even the dealership could get them off.

if its a probum try this no one carries metric Allen wrenches with them 

[Shaddow]

Over here in Australia its mostly about stealing fuel. Don't hear about bike plates being stolen much though.

[Toogoofy317]

Someone stole my handicapped placard out ot my tail pack before I got my permanent plates. If that isn't low I don't know what is!

Mary

[ojstinson]

Don't know what I was thinking Mary, I feel terrible---is it too late to give it back?

[ragecage23]

Sorry to hi-jack, but in which states do you fuel up before paying? In California you have to pay cash before or swipe your card then fuel up.

[mister]

Sorry to hi-jack, but in which states do you fuel up before paying? In California you have to pay cash before or swipe your card then fuel up.

In Aust, everywhere lets you fill up without paying first.

Pull up, pop gas tank, put nozzle in tank, fill up, replace nozzle on bowser, enter store and pay for gas.

Only stipulation Some stations have is.... take helmet off before filling.

I do Not do this. I always leave my helmet on. And I have never had the pump not activated for me. All the people at the counter activate the pump.

Once, a guy was going to give me $16 change all in coins. I asked for some note from the other till. While he was waiting to open it he said "The law says you have to remove your helmet." I said, "No it doesn't." He tried to tell me it does. "Sorry bloke, but there is no actual law that says I MUST remove my helmet. Check with the police. All it is, is a Request of the business NOT a law." He blathers something about next time. There is no Next Time. I do not do business with those who do not want me as a customer.

One cashier said they had activated the pump cause I probably didn't know. But normally they require riders to remove their helmets. I told him to think of me as a Muslim Woman.

Generally, the gas stations in my area are pretty good with letting you leave your helmet on. Maybe the difference is between stations which are Local - only locals would be using it - and those which are on/near major thoroughfares so anyone can use it.

We have drive offs here in Aust. They all get reported to the police who take down the details. So if those plates are run for another traffic infringement, the drive off will be discovered too.

Michael

[JAY W]

Micheal,same situation in UK,i brought a flip front lid for this reason occasionaly i still get asked to remove it (even though i`ve flipped front) ,if i haven`t already filled up i`ll move on to the next petrol station.How likely isit someone will fill and run on a bike and sidecar...

[noworries]

Was shopping at Bankstown Square in Sydney one Sunday a fortnight back. Parked the car. Got back half-an-hour later and the back plate is hanging off by on one screw. So, I'm crouched down by the back of the car, re-fixing the plate and mumbling in my beard about low-life when a voice calls me over to another car. And this lovely old guy says when he pulled up in his motor he had scared some guy in a hoodie, who had then run off. Security at the shops told me that plate stealing happens all the time (for all the reasons other folk have posted). And the security guy recommended using some "one-way" screws that you can drive in but can't back out, to fix the plates. Next time I'm in an auto shop. going to pick up some for the car and the bike.
Talking about bikes, got the GS in February and now, as I'm racking up the kilometres, I'm finding some of my old riding skills gradually re-emerging. I had been so scared in the first months that I wouldn't get confortable on a bke again. The GS itself is constantly re-minding me, with its noise and it's performance and it's general feel, of my bikes in the 60s. So glad I bought this machine. And the first signs of Spring are here in Sydney!!!!!!

[tt_four]

I always try to use bolts that are one sided to only let you tighten them and then use locknuts on the rear with the nylon rings in them. That way you actually need a socket and some vice grips to get it off, which most people don't think to carry. I've also just used pop rivets so they have to be drilled out to remove it.