Anonymous Wrecked Cars

[Bonzo 2000]

I often see salvage trucks carrying wrecked cars, apparantly to a breakers yard, and the number plates on the wrecks are partly obscured, usually with black tape.  The plates are not removed, nor are they completely hidden. Usually a couple of the letters or numbers are left exposed.  Why is this?

[Gard]

The only reason i can think of is to prevent any confussion between the trucks registration plate and the cars registration plate.

[v64paul]

i think it's to stop the car's identity being cloned, for illegal purposes.

[Grunty]

If the car is damaged in an accident, the police sometimes cover the plates if they haven't yet been able to contact the family, so they don't see them on tv or in the papers.  I also think Gard and Paul are both right.

[Jenny Tools]

v64paul is correct.