{"id":805,"date":"2026-05-05T06:05:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T06:05:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/drivers-told-use-tamper-proof-screws-as-thefts-double-and-you-may-get-fines\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T06:05:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T06:05:23","slug":"drivers-told-use-tamper-proof-screws-as-thefts-double-and-you-may-get-fines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/drivers-told-use-tamper-proof-screws-as-thefts-double-and-you-may-get-fines\/","title":{"rendered":"Drivers told &#8216;use tamper-proof screws&#8217; as thefts double and &#8216;you may get fines&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_5f510e\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Police forces have also recorded a rise in the use of ghost number plates<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<div class=\"Byline_author-and-badge-wrapper__2dsv1\">\n<div class=\"Authors_authors-container__wVWas\" data-testid=\"byline-author\" data-tmdatatrack=\"author\" style=\"--authors-by:&quot;By&quot;\"><span><span><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"AuthorLink_author-link__rg5qj\" data-tmdatatrack=\"author\" data-testid=\"byline-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/authors\/neil-shaw\/\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35 __className_5f510e\">Neil Shaw<\/strong><\/a><\/span> Assistant Editor (Money and Lifestyle)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\"><\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37110441\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Making the change should be quick and easy\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_GettyImages-1516889997.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Making the change should be quick and easy\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Making the change should be quick and easy<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Drivers are being urged to use tamper-resistant screws in response to thefts more than doubling in four years. <!-- -->Churchill Motor Insurance issued the plea after obtaining Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) figures showing 7,381 incidents of stolen plates were recorded in the UK last year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">That is up 30% from 5,683 during the previous 12 months and is more than two times the total of 3,376 in 2021. <!-- -->There has also been a 53% increase in number plate cloning over the same period, from 7,430 incidents in 2021 to 11,394 last year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Stealing or cloning a number plate enables the offender to accumulate traffic or parking fines that are sent to the owner of the original vehicle. <!-- -->It is also done to evade detection by police cameras, facilitating criminal activity.<!-- --> <!-- -->Whereas plate thefts are usually noticed quickly, victims of cloning many only realise what has happened when traffic or parking fines start arriving in the post.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37110439\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37110439\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.46\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"You could end up with fines if your plate is stolen\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_GettyImages-85162858.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"You could end up with fines if your plate is stolen\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">You could end up with fines if your plate is stolen<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Kevin Mead, head of Churchill Motor Insurance, said: \u201cIt\u2019s concerning to see that reports of stolen and cloned (number plates) are increasing so rapidly. <!-- -->It\u2019s a worrying trend that continues to cause significant stress and disruption for innocent drivers who are left dealing with months of inconvenience as they try to challenge penalties and clear their name.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cUsing tamper\u2011resistant screws for number plates can help reduce the risk, but if a plate is stolen or suspected to be cloned, swift action is essential. <!-- -->Drivers should report it immediately to the police, inform the DVLA and alert their insurer to help limit further impact.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Police forces have also recorded a rise in the use of ghost number plates, which have a reflective coating that prevents them from being read by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. <!-- -->The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety published a report in December last year warning that widespread misuse of vehicle number plates is putting road users at risk and threatens national security.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37110440\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37110440\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.46\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"You can change your screws at home or a garage can do it\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_GettyImages-475571883.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"You can change your screws at home or a garage can do it\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">You can change your screws at home or a garage can do it<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It cited research claiming as many as one in 15 vehicles may carry plates designed to evade detection by ANPR cameras. <!-- -->The British Number Plate Manufacturers Association, which represents companies producing the vast majority of plates in the UK, has called for tougher regulation of the sector.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It warned many suppliers have not registered with the DVLA \u2013 as is mandated by law \u2013 and are not following its requirements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/drivers-told-use-tamper-proof-37110429\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Police forces have also recorded a rise in the use of ghost number plates Neil<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":806,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1777961123_0_GettyImages-1516889997.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/805","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=805"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/805\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/806"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}