Putting the screws on number plate theft

Massey Community Constable Luke Wilson, puts in security screws on a number plate. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Thieves often use stolen plates for petrol drive-offs and other vehicle-related crimes.

Stealing number plates in West Auckland will be much harder for thieves as police work their way around carparks fitting vehicles with security screws.

Thieves pinched more than 400 car number plates across the Waitakere area last year, often using them to get away with petrol drive-offs and other vehicle-related crimes. A significant number of those plates were stolen from carparks.

In a bid to reduce thefts, police teamed up with Neighbourhood Support to launch the Safer Plates initiative which allows members of the public to get their regular number plate screws replaced with special security screws.

Constable Luke Wilson said the new screws were virtually impossible to remove. Last week, he and other officers teamed up with Neighbourhood Support staff to re-screw plates at the Countdown carpark at the Westgate shopping centre.

They expected to fit upward of 150 cars with the screws - which are provided for $1 each, with the money going to Neighbourhood Support.

"We had one lady come up to get screws saying her number plate had been stolen recently," Mr Wilson said.

"It's a real nuisance to get them stolen. By doing this we are reducing our workload by reducing victims and offending."

Neighbourhood Support chairman Les Duffield said the service would soon be offered at carparks in Te Atatu, Glen Eden and New Lynn. Countdown was supporting the initiative.