License Plate Swapping: A Growing Threat

NEWARK, CA — The Newark Police Department is warning people about "a dangerous and on-going trend that is gaining popularity" — license plate swapping, stealing license plates from vehicles and replacing them with other plates, often from stolen vehicles. The clever thieves will even target vehicles of the same make and model to make it harder for officers to detect a stolen plate.

"If not detected," police warn in a message to the community, "a victim driving his or her own vehicle could be stopped by law enforcement, who believe they are stopping a stolen vehicle. This type of stop can involve the exhibition of firearms for safety reasons."

Police offer these safety tips:

• confirm that both of your license plates are on your vehicle before operating it
• if one or both of your license plates are missing, report the lost or stolen license plate to law enforcement as soon as possible
• if you discover the wrong license plate is on your vehicle, do not operate it and immediately report the incident to law enforcement

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