car cloning

[m1llymolly]

My friend came into work yesterday and told me that her hubby has had to change his number plate because someone out there has a car which is the excat model and has the same number plate. He found out when he started to recieve speed fines coming through the post . It stated what time he was suppose to have broken the speed limit, a picture of the car and number plate. You could imagine what he must have been thinking once he recieved another 4 fines coming through the post week after week. He went back to the garage and asked them, could it be possible they may have sold 2 cars with the same number plate? There answer was, "no this does not happen". My friend and her hubby went to the police with their evidence and told the police that there was another car driving about with the same number plate. All the police said "this is not a crime" ?????? can you believe that!!!! IT'S NOT A CRIME??, does anyone know whats going on and try and fill me in please, cos im confused. Thanks

[norfolk boy]

If you want new number plates, you have to show id. So how does this stop crooks taking your number plates and using them on a car involved in a crime.

[Hippy]

The simple answer is that it doesn't. Although the "legitimate" number plate places ask for ID and proof of ownership of the car, you can get any number plate you want made up and quite legally, provided it is sold as a "sign" and not a number plate, and there is no shortage of places that will do this. Ho ho ho, Mr. Plod.

[Mattk]

it most certainly is a crime.this has become widespread after the introduction of the congestion charges in london.the case i saw was only proven as the 'real' plate had the eu stars on and the copy didnt

[Drewhound]

Your friend is telling a strange story. Their registration number will be on the V5 (registration document) and the only number they can use is that one. Of course cloning the plate is a crime and the police would take action. Your friend says her husband has had to get a new number, what did he do, pick one at random?

[m1llymolly]

Drewhound: My friend had to buy a new number plate from D.V.L.C and it cost �200.00. Also anyone can get a number plate made up.

[tomd]

The second car will have been stolen, and they will have changed the plates to match your friend's husband's. I think somewhere along the line they will have misinterpreted the police, perhaps they said your friend's husband hadn't committed a crime.

[Kev_UK]

Hi m1llymolly, firstly the police are wrong, if you get no satisfaction from the officer on the desk ask to speak to CID or a superior. You can buy "show plates" which I had to do (made to as near as damn it british standards) as my car is an american import so will not take the full size plate. Legaly we can use 12" x 6" plates with motorcycle size font, but most plate makers will opnly make full sized ones which are useless. Regarding "cloning" it DOES happen as people avoid speeding fines, etc, and as the law stands if you sell a car and not declare it by sending in the V5 you are still liable for parking fines, road tax, etc. I saw a case on tv once where someone was trying to claim the car on the speed camera photos wasn't theirs and must be a cloned car.. but when the photo was enlarged it showed a GB sticker on the boot and another sticker advertising a car sales garage in the back window.. the chances of someone copying minor details like stickers are remote. I would contact the police station where the speeding ticket was issued and talk to them. Perhaps send a photo of the back of your car to them or ask for a copy of the photo the camera took. It may be possible to claim compensation from someone for the cost of having to buy another plate (or part cost) if you can prove stress and anxiety occured. If you haven't contacted them already, contact DVLA in Swansea.

[Drewhound]

Hi m1llymolly, I appreciate anyone can get a plate made up but they need a number, you can't just choose one at random. If the DVLA changed your friends registration number it suggests they had the cloned number somehow, it doesn't make sense otherwise. You'll notice the two replies below mine agree with what I said, at least one and kevs 4 lol

[Mrs_Pegasus]

Hi I am quite confused about this. A car has a reg number forever! You can have a personalised plate but whenever you sell that car and retain the personalised plate the car will be reunited with its original registration. I cannot see how it could be so easily done, choosing a new plate and adding it to a car in the hope the cloned vehicle will now go away. It wont, as soon as they notch up another fine it will wing its way to your friend. It can also get nasty if this isnt sorted. My friends partner was arrested, dawn raid etc, some years back after a car bearing his reg plate, took part in a smash and grab where a security officer was badly injured. At the moment its just speeding fines but whose to say it doesnt get worse. This is definately a case for the Police and I would strongly advise contacting the DVLA who would investigate this immediately. After all this person is not legally insured or taxed!

[LeMarchand]

Surely it's an offence to display plates that do not belong to the car? I'm pretty sure that I've read of cases where film companies have been fined for driving a personalised plate on a public road (like - say - "SAINT1"). If I was your friend, I would press the police; the other driver is at least guilty of fraud. If s/he is ever caught, your friend may be able to sue for distress/expenses. The problem being that that sort of person is unlikely to ever pay up...