Having just had my plates stolen, it seems there should be an easy way to prevent this.

In British Columbia our plates and insurance are linked, and provided by the wonderful provincially run ICBC - let's not go there just now. The plates are standard north american design, two holes top and two holes bottom. I already take a razor blade and slice the validation decal after I apply it, thus preventing it being removed in one piece. There are break-off bolts, security bolts and lock-tite options, but they make it a hassle to removed the plates when I need to.

A simple solution: Slightly recess the mounting holes and have the validation decal cover the holes. Make the decal extra sticky and thick. To remove the plates simply puncture the decal, you'll need a new decal when you re-install the plates on another vehicle. No special tools required. Criminals won't be able to use the stolen plates as police will be looking for damaged decals.
-- rbl, Aug 03 2003

Private number plates club http://www.numberplates.com
Information and resources on number plates and license plates. [Adam_C, Jan 29 2007]

Seems like a good approach. Another approach that might work would be to require somebody to operate something inside the trunk or under the hood to release the plates.
-- supercat, Aug 03 2003


Why not just make the license plate into a bumper sticker. Those never come off without destroying themselves.
-- DeathNinja, Aug 03 2003


Hmm, I have never heard of this crime before. Why not have a small registration sticker in the windscreen and then the cars and their stickers can be easily matched.
-- FloridaManatee, Aug 03 2003


A hassle? I find that I need to remove my plates about never and when I do, the screws are rusted in good and tight.

But good solutions nonetheless.
-- grip, Aug 04 2003


There are a lot of differing standards from state to state that make this difficult. In WV, for example, the car's safety inspection sticker is in the window; the plate expiration sticker is a year designation only and is on the license plate, and the first character of the plate number tells you what month it expires (1-9 for Jan-Sep, O for Oct, N for Nov, and D for Dec).

In Missouri, the state inspection stickers go on the windshield, but the plate's expiration month and year are separate stickers, both applied on the plate. In St. Louis, where sticker theft is common, they put the stickers in the center of the plate. In "safer" areas, the stickers are placed in the corners.

That being said, your solution, if universal standards can be adopted, is quite simple and elegant.
-- shapu, Jan 29 2007



random, halfbakery