Jeanfromfillmore
11-26-2009, 11:32 AM
Thefts of license tags rising, Inland law enforcers say
By JOHN ASBURY
The Press-Enterprise
Stealing a little colored sticker could lead to jail time -- and worsen the state's budget woes.
Felony charges are possible if those small Department of Motor Vehicles registration stickers on license plates are stolen or falsified, authorities said.
The thefts are nothing new, though some agencies in Riverside and San Bernardino counties are noticing a slight uptick in stolen tags, which leads to a loss of revenue.
Registration fees, ranging from $34 to as much as $300, fund state programs and agencies such as the California Highway Patrol and the Riverside County sheriff's Riverside Auto theft Interdiction Detail program, known as RAID. Sheriff's officials have seen revenue drop this year.
RAID Sgt. Rick Young said the county has seen a noticeable decline in registered vehicles and revenue to the task force.
San Bernardino County has also seen a slight rise in thefts in recent weeks, said Southern California Auto Club spokeswoman Marie Montgomery.
The exact number of thefts of tags and license plates is not tallied by law enforcement or the DMV. Statewide, about 32 million vehicles were registered in 2008, about 1 million fewer than the year before.
Possession of a stolen registration tag is a misdemeanor or a citation, but falsifying paperwork with the DMV or possessing stolen tags can be an arrestable felony, Young said.
"People may not realize the severity of what they're doing," Young said. "They get out of paying a few hundred bucks but may not be realizing they're committing a crime."
Stolen plates can also be used to conceal stolen vehicles. Criminals either driving a stolen vehicle or a committing a crime may use another plate to mask their vehicle, Young said.
Authorities can track stolen license plates once they're reported, but a stolen tag usually is only caught during a background check or traffic stop.
Though preventing the thefts may be difficult, officials say residents can take some precautions to protect themselves.
DMV officials and the California Highway Patrol suggest using a razor blade to cut the edges of a tag to keep it from tearing easily. Tags are also more likely to stick when applied directly to the license plate, rather than applied over multiple years of old stickers.
"It's always been a problem and is always going to be with us," Montgomery said.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_thefts26.3b
By JOHN ASBURY
The Press-Enterprise
Stealing a little colored sticker could lead to jail time -- and worsen the state's budget woes.
Felony charges are possible if those small Department of Motor Vehicles registration stickers on license plates are stolen or falsified, authorities said.
The thefts are nothing new, though some agencies in Riverside and San Bernardino counties are noticing a slight uptick in stolen tags, which leads to a loss of revenue.
Registration fees, ranging from $34 to as much as $300, fund state programs and agencies such as the California Highway Patrol and the Riverside County sheriff's Riverside Auto theft Interdiction Detail program, known as RAID. Sheriff's officials have seen revenue drop this year.
RAID Sgt. Rick Young said the county has seen a noticeable decline in registered vehicles and revenue to the task force.
San Bernardino County has also seen a slight rise in thefts in recent weeks, said Southern California Auto Club spokeswoman Marie Montgomery.
The exact number of thefts of tags and license plates is not tallied by law enforcement or the DMV. Statewide, about 32 million vehicles were registered in 2008, about 1 million fewer than the year before.
Possession of a stolen registration tag is a misdemeanor or a citation, but falsifying paperwork with the DMV or possessing stolen tags can be an arrestable felony, Young said.
"People may not realize the severity of what they're doing," Young said. "They get out of paying a few hundred bucks but may not be realizing they're committing a crime."
Stolen plates can also be used to conceal stolen vehicles. Criminals either driving a stolen vehicle or a committing a crime may use another plate to mask their vehicle, Young said.
Authorities can track stolen license plates once they're reported, but a stolen tag usually is only caught during a background check or traffic stop.
Though preventing the thefts may be difficult, officials say residents can take some precautions to protect themselves.
DMV officials and the California Highway Patrol suggest using a razor blade to cut the edges of a tag to keep it from tearing easily. Tags are also more likely to stick when applied directly to the license plate, rather than applied over multiple years of old stickers.
"It's always been a problem and is always going to be with us," Montgomery said.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_thefts26.3b