The Escalating Concern: Vehicle Cloning Poses a Serious Threat to UK Drivers and Authorities
Over 12,000 British drivers have faced fines and penalties due to offenses related to vehicles displaying cloned registration plates, according to recent data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by Platehunter.com from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
The statistics reveal a troubling trend of increasing incidents in recent years. In 2018, there were 4,021 reported cases, which rose to 9,384 in 2019, and 7,400 in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
Platehunter.com’s sales director, Jon Kirkbright, expressed his concern over the growing problem of vehicle cloning that is causing significant inconvenience and frustration for innocent motorists. He mentioned instances where individuals have been questioned by the police for crimes they did not commit, such as leaving a garage without payment or receiving speeding fines in London when they have never been there. These situations arise because someone has cloned their number plate to commit unlawful activities.
Victims often remain unaware that their number plate has been cloned for months, and during that time, they may unknowingly accumulate multiple penalties in different jurisdictions.
The surge in cloned number plate cases coincides with the increased usage of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. Criminals select vehicles with clean records and replicate the registration onto their own cars. To evade capture, they may copy the number plate of a similar make, model, and color.
Law enforcement authorities advise victims to take immediate action by notifying the DVLA and changing their registration plates. Platehunter.com offers a service to help motorists obtain replacement registration plates. The sales director claims to have witnessed a 300% surge in the purchase of replacement plates in the past year.
Kirkbright emphasized the benefits of purchasing a cost-effective private number plate from Platehunter.com, which can swiftly resolve the issues associated with cloned plates. He assured customers that the process can be completed on the same day, ensuring no further complications.
The DVLA recommends that any motorist who suspects their vehicle has been cloned should contact the police and the issuing authority of any fines or penalties they receive. They should provide appropriate evidence to demonstrate that their vehicle was not present in the area at the time of the reported offense. Further guidance on dealing with vehicle cloning is available on the website: http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle-registration-numbers-and-number-plates
