Tawa Train Users - Thieves stealing number plates

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Kingy

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#115020 11-Mar-2013 12:10

Just a heads up to anyone taking the train from Tawa. I had my number plates stolen off my car on Friday at the Redwood station. Pricks!

I've called the police and let them know (not that they can do anything, seemed rather disinterested tbh) and luckily replacements were only $20.

I'm thinking of getting a battery operated camera for the car to keep an eye on it now. Not fun.

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timmmay

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#777927 11-Mar-2013 12:37

Just beware of the armed offenders squad turning up after your license plates are used in a bank robbery ;)

Camera seems overkill for an isolated incident. Just use a different fastening system, a screw with a strange head, a bit of glue, make it a bit more difficult and no-one will bother.

Kingy

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#777928 11-Mar-2013 12:40

I hadn't considered the AOS lol. My first thought was getting a call from the police because I did a runner from a petrol station or something. Hopefully there is something to say that the licence plates are stolen in a database somewhere so that doesn't actually happen.

Yeah I got those screws from Repco ($5) that allow you to tighten them up but not undo them. According to the guy they aren't exactly hard to get around though.

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tardtasticx

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#777932 11-Mar-2013 12:44

Similar thing used to happen in High School. People would steal plates from cars randomly, and the ones they couldn't steal would just get bent up and needing replacement anyway. One of my friends had it done 3 times so put razors on the back of the place so when they went to pull it off, they'd cut their hand up. But rumour got out about that so it never ended up cutting anyone. School refused to help at all either since it was off their property.

But yeh I agree with the tip to use a strange screw, something people normally wouldnt use. or even rivet them to the car so it cant be screwed off at all.

Kingy

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#777933 11-Mar-2013 12:47

Only problem I have with making it harder is if they get pissed and then decide to key/damage the car. Would rather spend $20 on replacements than hundreds on repairs

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Klipspringer

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#777941 11-Mar-2013 12:59

Let me guess. Your car is a Suburu, Honda, Mitsubishi or Nissan?

Don't they steal plates from the more popular cars? I have never had my plate stolen, but then maybe its because I drive an Audi.

Kingy

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#777953 11-Mar-2013 13:02

Klipspringer: Let me guess. Your car is a Suburu, Honda, Mitsubishi or Nissan?

Don't they steal plates from the more popular cars? I have never had my plate stolen, but then maybe its because I drive an Audi.

Nope, Nope, Nope and Nope. Close though. A Mazda. It makes sense to steal plates from a same colour, similar car. First thing the cops would do is see a red Honda or blue Suburu which matches the registration plate and then go after the person who is registered. No point putting Audi plates on a Nissan Skyline now is there.

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Byrned

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#777963 11-Mar-2013 13:17

Friend had his plates swapped on his car. No idea how long it had been like that. He just noticed one day that something seemed "off" about the number. Turns out they swapped it from an identical car that had been stolen.

DarthKermit

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#778202 11-Mar-2013 21:25

I've heard of that happening to a few people. On our car, I replaced the number plate screws with rounded head stainless steel machine screws. I loctited them in and then drilled the hex head out so they can never be unscrewed again.

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