4 February 2004
WAR DECLARED ON FALSE AND DISTORTED NUMBER PLATES
A Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency consultation paper, on proposals to extend to Northern Ireland the requirement for the registration of number plate suppliers, has been issued.
The scheme is already in operation in England and Wales and its extension to Northern Ireland and Scotland would require number plate suppliers to register with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Suppliers will be required to keep records of the sale of number plates and to obtain certain information from customers before making a sale. This will include proof of identity and proof of entitlement to the registration mark.
The proposed extension of the scheme to Northern Ireland is further evidence of the Government’s commitment to making it more difficult for criminals to obtain false number plates.
The consultation paper explains the reasons for extending the scheme to Northern Ireland and gives information of how it will operate and be enforced.
Comments from interested parties will be welcomed and considered carefully before any legislation is made to extend the scheme.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- In September 1998 the Home Office established a Vehicle Crime Reduction Team to develop and implement a strategy to meet the target set be the Government to reduce vehicle crime by 30% by 2004.
- One recommendation of the Team was the introduction of a statutory registration scheme to control the supply of number plates. This along with other measures would contribute to the effective combating of vehicle crime.
- Vehicle crime is the largest single category of recorded crime in UK. The scheme is designed to make it more difficult for thieves to dispose of stolen vehicles by tackling the problem of vehicle ‘ringing,’ the practice of using the identity of another vehicles registration to disguise a stolen vehicle. Up to 40,000 vehicles were being ‘rung’ each year. Since the scheme for registering number plate suppliers was introduced in England and Wales in January 2003, Scotland and Northern Ireland have provided an obvious loophole in the effectiveness of the scheme in reducing that number.
- Many criminals also use false number plates on vehicles to facilitate serious criminal activity. Such activity can range from terrorism to burglary and the transfer of stolen goods. The use of false number plates also hinders Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), roadworthiness and insurance enforcement.
- The misrepresentation of registration marks can make it difficult or impossible for Automated Number Plate Reader (ANPR) cameras or witnesses to read registration plates. The legislation for the scheme will also make it an offence to sell number plates that do not comply with regulations relating to dimensions, spacing, font types, etc.
- The registration scheme will ensure that number plates are only sold to a purchaser who has entitlement to a particular registration mark. The scheme will also provide records of sales to assist the police in the detection of crime.
- The scheme will be reviewed after a period of operation to determine whether it is meeting its objectives and if further changes are needed.
- A number plate supplier is someone whose business consists wholly or partly of selling number plates, i.e. finished plates that include the registration mark.
- Manufacturers, distributors, assemblers, motor factors, motor dealers and retail outlets including online retailers could all fall within the scope of the scheme provided that they sell the finished product. Motor dealers who refit their stock with new number plates would be classed as number plate suppliers too and would need to meet the requirements of the scheme. If a business supplies only blank plates or other components or materials it will not be required to register.
- Copies of the consultation paper can be obtained by accessing the DVLA websitehttp://www.dvla.gov.uk or by leaving name and postal address on telephone number 0780 241 2145.
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