Ask Sid: Is There Really an Epidemic of License Plate Thefts?

Q. Is there really an epidemic of license plate thefts?

A. It’s true that with higher gas prices, more thieves are swiping license plates, putting them on their vehicles, then filling up and fleeing without paying. If your plate is stolen, it could look like you stole the gas. But there’s no epidemic. Anyone who steals a license plate to get gas must get around any requirement to pay before pumping. And surveillance cameras can capture images of the thief’s vehicle. Still, you can protect your plates by securing them with star-bit or Torx screws, not Phillips-head or single-slotted types.

Sid Kirchheimer is the author of Scam-Proof Your Life (AARP Books/Sterling).

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