Never ceases to amaze me...

That is a new one. I guess. Geez, back in the 70's, during the original OPEC price hikes, all we did (not me) was siphon gas out of gas tanks because few had locking gas caps at the time. If the states were smart, and that is a big if, they would pay someone to invent a locking license plate. One that can't be easily removed from the vehicle. And then the states could charge its citizens $49.95 to have this device installed on their cars. I do not see a solution to this problem unless you can make the plates non-removable except by a special lock or key that the owner would have. Just an idea. I am sure not many would want to pay for this. Maybe someone already has invented a locking license plate holder. Another solution would be to install more cameras to get pics of the drivers and/or entire cars. This evidence could help the original owner prove that their plates were stolen.

They think of everything don't they. That's a shame now all those people have to go to court and fight the tickets proving the plates were stolen. They are going to have to make some kind of license plate lock to attach to the plate holder on the car to stop people from removing them.

OMG what next ? Who would have ever thought? That's what we get when the price goes so high then the crime rate goes up too. I personally would like to see stiffer laws and get rid of the young offenders act. If under the age of 18 they say the young offenders are placed under the parents care. What kind of a load of crap is that? I'm a big believer that you do the crime you do do the time. That's for both sexes and that applies to your kids, my kids and everybody elses kids. No exceptions. I have a real problem with a lot of the modern day parents, you know, "Not my Johnny", "My kids wouldn't do that." Nowadays you aren't even supposed to admitt they're in the wrong let alone any form of punishment. What ever happened to parents who stood behind the law and the teachers at school. In my day if we were bad in school we were also punished at home. I was never beaten but I have been grounded and have had my priviledges taken away and I Thank God dearly for that because it made me a better person today. In a case of need I would ask you for a few gallons of gas if need be but I would NEVER think fast enough to know different ways to steal the gas. I also Thank God that there are other good people. I know not everyone are bad parents/persons. As far as the final answer to your question, How can we stop this type of activity ? Well in my opinion there is really only one way we can make a difference and that's to teach our young people from a very young age of the right and wrongs and be stern enough to enforce the law. Thank You for this post as this is a very serious situation and it's a world wide concern. Take Care.

yup i can belive this a cheap way to get free gas and not get caught in the process i have seem many things taken over the year from scrap wood to broken toys to clothing on a line. The only way is to get taper proof screws to attach your plate to car most dealerships have them or auto parts places.

Here in New Mexico you have to pay before you pump gas. It has been this way since the first 6 months that I have lived here (3 years). I think that if all gas stations in your area did this that there would be no more drive offs. If you want to fill up here and don't know how much it will be you have to go in and give a deposit of like $50 to $100 depending on how much you think you will spend.

This is the first I have heard of anyone doing this. Where there is a will there is a way. Maybe the law should allow people to place their license plates inside their cars. You know prop the plates up in the window so that they can be seen but not taken. Just a suggestion.

That is amazing. I guess I wouldn't make a good criminal because this never would have occurred to me. Of course, I couldn't do this anyway most likely, because I've had such a rough time getting my own license plate cover off when it's time to replace the date sticker on it, etc. The minds of criminals just amazes me. Would it be too simplistic of me to suggest that they could avoid a life of crime if they applied this brain power to worthier efforts? hee hee

well, i totally agree with you... how far people will go to steal just to fufill their needs... it is really a shame what our world had turned to nowadays... instead of thinking of working harder, those people choose the easy way to cover the increasing expenses... if they can't afford to pay the gas price, then don't drive... they can take public transport... also, i think they can't get away with it as even though they steal the plate, but the number is registered for a certain type and color of vehicle that the owner owned (for example, red Honda Civic VTI)... unless if they steal the plate from exactly the same type and color of vehicle... even then, the year of manufacturing might be different... for us here in australia, we have a sticker on our front window showing when our registration expired, the year the car is manufactured, the license number and the engine number of the car... so it is very specific... even if we lose our licence plate, we still have the sticker and it can't be stolen because it is put from inside the car... anyway, it is just amazing how people are becoming more and more wicked nowadays... hope the western kentucky police can do something to stop this soon...

Great! Now I have heard it all. Well, maybe not. I can see this happening though. The price of gas is so high that people would go to desperate measures to get for free what they can't afford to buy.

Well this certainly did take some thought on their part and a good way to get off free. At least the original owner and Dept. of Motor Vehicles can prove the plate does not match the car driven, so the rightful owner of the car isn't pinned for a crime they didn't do. On the other hand, the criminal gets off scot free becuase they are unlikely to be found.

Oh I've heard about this here. It doesn't bother me I don't own a car and I do feel bad for those who this happens to but I would only park where camera are and that's easy where I live. Virtually everywhere! ~Joey

It's not just there in Kentucky, it's happening all over. Every time gas prices go up it happens. We've been considering getting an electric scooter for my husband to get back and forth to work. We have an SUV that is such a gas hog that it's really cutting into our budget. Unfortunately we have music equipment we have to haul so we absolutely have to have it. Something needs to be done and very quickly. I hope they start offering more hybrid, electric and hydrogen powered cars soon. Our dependence on oil has just gotten ridiculous when other technologies exist.

Wow that is just unbelieveable!! How do they think up such things?? I guess we have to use some kind of super duper bolts to make it impossible for the theif to steal our plates. Aren't most plates bolts on with 4 bolts or screws? I would think that it would take a little time to unbolt them all and steal the plate. The theives must be really fast.

I actually work for a car rental place where plates are stolen more often then you think. People then rob banks or do run offs with gas and our plates come back to a car we don't even have!! It's sad what people will do these days.

Wow...that is outrageous. The only way is to lower the price of gas...which is up to the government. Even here in Canada gas prices are through the roof...but I have not heard of anything similar happening here, but I guess it is just a matter of time. It is getting too expensive even to own a vehicle for regular people.

My method of dealing with this possibility is to use FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOLTS AND SCREWS to fasten my license plates to my vehicle. I may use several different sizes of wrenches or screwdrivers on each license plate. A good quality motion sensor type alarm would also be a good investment, that could pay many dividends over several years, it could also save you a few dollars on your cost of automobile insurance. I'm sure others could come up with things to try that might help. C'mon everyone, put on your thinking caps and let's see what else we could try.

I dont think there is a way to stop this type of activity, everyones going to keep doing it.