'˜Serious crime' warning in plate thefts

NUMBER plates being stolen could be used in serious crime, police have warned.

It comes after 17 plates have been stolen in Havant town centre since November 4. Items were also stolen from cars, with around half left unlocked.

Inspector Andy Clinton said: ‘This spate of number plate theft is unusual and it can cause ongoing issues for victims if the index plates are used in other criminality afterwards.

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‘That’s why I would urge anyone who has been a victim to report a number plate theft to us at the earliest opportunity by calling 101 to ensure that this can be recorded to assist our enquiries.

‘More importantly, by doing so you’ll ensure that you don’t need to have any involvement in any subsequent investigations. Thankfully at the current time none of the number plates have subsequently been used for criminal purposes to the best of our knowledge.’

They could be used in burglaries, speeding, vehicle cloning and theft of fuel.