Public Safety: License Plate Thefts

Hello members of the Northwest Denver Community from Denver Police, District 1.  Officer Bob is currently on vacation through the first week in July.  So, I was graciously asked to fill in and share information and crime prevention tips that are provided by Officer Bob on a monthly basis, so here goes.

Colorado license plates are a hot item with criminals, and most folks think that license plates are the last thing a thief would want, but that’s not the case. 

District 1 has seen a dramatic increase in license plates that were stolen, and Denver Police, District 1, are taking steps to reduce the number.

Stolen license plates are often associated with other crimes such as car theft, burglary and car-registration fraud. They may be placed on stolen vehicles to make them more difficult to identify or on thieves’ personal cars and traded out for new plates after a crime has been committed. Stealing license plates may also allow thieves to bypass car registration and the included fees.

Luckily, we have a few, simple tips to help you protect your plates…

1. Park in a well-lit, high traffic area.

2. Secure your plates with special security screws that require a specialized tool to remove/apply them. We have them at the District 1 station and they are free, and we will even install them for you!

3. Invest in a locking license plate frame.

We ask that you take a few moments several times a week to quickly check your vehicle to assure your license plates are on your vehicle.  If for some reason you unfortunately discover that you are missing a license plate, or both license plates are missing, we urge you to report this immediately.  The information regarding your license plate will be entered into a national computer database for possible recovery as well as to facilitate other on-going investigations where your license plate may have been used in a crime or crimes. 

Reporting will also assist you in obtaining new replacement license plates from Colorado DMV.

Denver Police, District 1, is committed to helping build a safer community.

Officer Rob

Robert Gibbs | Police Officer 1st Grade | Community Resource Officer

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