Shoppers in Leeds were invited to a free ‘Screw it or Lose it’ event being last month at the Crossgates Shopping Centre – to guard against becoming a victim of registration plate theft.
Officers were offering the public chance to have tamper proof screws fitted to their vehicle’s registration plates free of charge.
Registration plates are regularly stolen by criminals to be used to hide the identity of vehicles involved in crime because they cannot be traced back to their owner even if they are caught on camera.
The special screws, which are designed in such a way that they can be easily fitted but require special tools to remove them, help to prevent your vehicle’s identification being stolen by criminals.
Police Sergeant Chris Walters, from CWTN NPT, said: "Stolen registration plates are used in all sorts of crime, from serious crimes to what some people may consider relatively minor offences such as avoiding paying for fuel at filling stations.
"But it also obviously causes a problem for the motorists who’ve had their plates stolen, because they can’t drive their vehicle until new ones are fitted and can also drive up their insurance premiums if they have to make a claim.
