Licence plate theft and fraud rising in Wellington - police urge caution

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Wellingtonians should install anti-theft screws on their cars' licence plates after a spate of thefts, police say.

Throughout September there has been a marked increase in the thefts not only in the city, but across the region.

"It is upsetting and inconvenient for members of our community to be victims of this type of crime," a police spokesperson said on Thursday.

Once stolen, the plates are often used to commit further offences and police say they would love to hear from the community about how to put a stop to this kind of crime.

"Licence plates can be affixed with anti-theft screws, varying the screw types also makes any theft difficult for offenders," the spokesperson said.

"Police also recommend, where possible, to park your vehicle inside your property rather than on the street or only park in well-lit and busy locations."

It's not just number plate thefts that are up – fraud is on the rise too.

"The drop in alert levels has allowed for the trading of goods to recommence online, and there have been multiple reports of buyers using false bank transfer confirmations and falsified digital documents to confirm payments have been made," the spokesperson said.

According to police, shame and embarrassment stop a lot of people from reporting when they've been scammed – but they shouldn't worry.

"Police will take any report seriously."