In a March 16 San Francisco Chronicle article “Bay Area thieves are stealing license plates. Do this to protect yourself,” Piedmont Police Department Capt. Chris Monahan and other Bay Area law enforcement officers weigh in on the crime spike and share some tips on how to avoid being a victim of a plate-switching.
The Chronicle reported that plate swapping and stealing has skyrocketed as more cities use ALPRs to track stolen vehicles entering or exiting their municipalities. Monahan told the reporter that people whose license plates have been stolen might not realize it right away.
First, always check your license plates before you drive. Second, consider installing an anti-theft device on your plates to secure them, such as a plate frame or screw that requires a special key to unlock.
Any deterrent is better than nothing, Monahan said.
“A thief is not going to spend a lot of time taking the plate off the car,” he said.
“Bay Area thieves are stealing license plates. Do this to protect yourself”, San Francisco Chronicle, March 17, 2025