Stolen antique license plates???????????
 

Has anyone experienced having their antiques plates (if you drive with them) taken off your car or know of anyone else who's had their's lifted off their car?

Ed

Re: Stolen antique license plates???????????
 

Re: Stolen antique license plates???????????
 

No, but, I suppose if someone needs a set,,,,,,,

Re: Stolen antique license plates???????????
 

I have an high dollar 1931 restored plate and purchased the thief proof bolts. "it said in the fine print". So you can only hope for the best.

Re: Stolen antique license plates???????????
 

yea they are easily identifiable if they were stolen.... just use some goofy sized nut and bolt fasteners not the wing nut stuff and im betting they will stay put for a long time. More likely to take a twist off radiator cap, gas cap, tire stem caps, etc as they twist off in seconds....

its one of those things that if someone really wants them they are going to get them. your hope is to slow them up enough so someone sees them or make it look like its going to be time consuming to steal so they dont try.

Most thieves just walk the neighborhoods lifting up on door handles or back doors/garage doors to houses - if its locked they move on as they know theres always an unlocked one nearby. Or they do the ol smash and grab so dont leave valuable things in plain sight or in obvious packages. (things like GPS units, wallets, cameras, purses - even if empty they dont know that then your stuck with broken glass in your seat, etc)

Also thieves know that people who travel typically leave valuables in the trunk of cars at restaurants, downtown parking areas, sports areans, etc. Things like your out of state plates are a dead giveaway or city registration stickers, dealership license plate frames, "my child goes to blah blah school" stickers etc - takes all of 3 seconds to google with a smart phone the school name, dealership, or kids sports team location.


Trunks are the easiest things to get into - big screwdriver or even a steel rod and a 3lb sledge hammer punches the lock right out then its a matter of twisting or moving a linkage and their in. (ive had to do it a few times at junkyards to get into the trunk area in cars with no keys and no flip down rear seats)

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I have read here on the Barn where someone has gone inside somewhere and when they returned their Monometer was gone and how things disappear off tables at swap meets, was curious about Antique plates also, where and how often.

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No I haven't heard of any plates stolen.Now you got me thinking :confused:a have a pair of 1931 restored plates on my A .Tomorrow I'm going to put a little locktite on the bolts.

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Plates arent going to be any good to anybody but the registered owner. If somebody stole them , they'd have to hide them, they cant use or sell them, without fear of the law. I'd say you'd likely only lose the plates if they got the whole car with them still attached.:)

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Most thieves like things that are not traceable. There was a 1911 leather plate stolen in this area about 10 years ago. He was caught trying to sell it on ebay. Have not ever heard of any others stolen. Rod

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I would make sure I filed a police report and contacted the Motor Vehicle Department to report them stolen. Ten years from now when they try to sell them you can get your revenge.

Charlie Stephens

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That's probably so in some states, different laws for YOM plates from state to state. My antique plates are not registered to the car but rather the modern antique vehicle plates are and that allows me to actually run with my YOM plates as long as the actual registration plates are somewhere IN the car, I know in Missouri, you can actually register an A with YOM plates if that number is not in use today. By saying that, I don't know my YOM number off the top of my head if they were stolen and I had to make out a police report. I guess I best right the number down somewhere.

YOM plates can run expensive and add so much in value if they have been restored.

Any one heard of any disappearing off Swap Meet tables?

Re: Stolen antique license plates???????????
 

Has anyone experienced having their antiques plates (if you drive with them) taken off your car or know of anyone else who's had their's lifted off their car?


sounds like "somebody" has been hanging out in the wrong side of town............... :)

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Years ago at a car show no less, I returned to our '69 Mach 1 (an original black plate California car) to see some low life busy on the front plate trying to steal it off the car. He had one fastener off and was busy on the second one.

As I walked up to him I yelled at him, he turned gave me a startled look and then fled. Dropped his nut wrench in the process so at least I got a free wrench.

Took those original plates off won't ever trust leaving them on again. This was in broad daylight with all kinds of people around of course I suppose people that saw him figured he was the car's owner:cool:

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Re: Stolen antique license plates???????????
 

Yep never let your guard down cause when you do someone will seize the opportunity. I work out at a local club, despite checking in, leaving stuff in lockers (unlocked) we had a brief rash of vehicles in the parking lot
being hit. Members working out had their wallets, keys, etc. lifted from their gym bags and lockers. They simply get your keys, activate your fob and wallah, your vehicle lights tell them which vehicle to ramsack. It is hard to deter a determined crook.

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At the Texas Tour in Fredericksburg several years ago someone stole the 1928 commercial plates off my '28 pickup. The nuts and bolts and washers were still laying on the ground where they dropped them. pickup parked at night at the host hotel. Tour chairman alerted as well as the local (Fredericksburg) police. For several years after that there was a statewide alert on the number on those plates. Don't know if anyone ever got cought. The good part of the story was since it was reported to the police the insurance would and did pay off. Found another set from a Texas licenses antique plate dealer and J C Taylor paid for them. Never put them on the truck for fer someone would take them off again.

Still have the plates. Still have the pickup

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I also was at a car show with a 99 point original Boss 429 went into the bathroom for about 3 to 4 minutes and came out to find Hood ram air shaker style air cleaner and trunk lid gone. I was sick to beyond belief . I have always been thank full that I did not walk out when they were there. One of us would have met their maker and truthfully a car part is not worth my life or theirs now, but at the time I might have thought different. Found out many years later the person who did it was shot doing it again at a private persons home in another state. Never found out what ever happened to him, probably for the best that I never saw him for both of us.

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These work well.....http://www.ebay.com/itm/Car-Anti-The....m1850&_trkpar

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In WA State you only need one plate and it does NOT need to be "clear". Pairs can be split and put on two different vehicles legally. I split a pair of 1931 plates and have them on my two 31 A's.