Number plates on show in pictures

[stevo55]

There's a current trend amongst criminals to target RS (and similar powerful cars) especially in off the street burglaries for keys and in the extreme-violent theft of the cars using firearms.
We all post photos of our cars but a number of forum members display their number plates. Unless it's a blocked VRN or it's registered at an address away from your home I really don't understand why people do this. It makes it easier for scumbags to trace where your car is kept very easily. Simple solution is to mask the plate electronically. Why make it easier for thieves to find your car and where you live?

[birdiemachine]

Could never quite understand this myself

[daytonamart]

Good question, I don't really understand how you can track a car after seeing the number plate. Maybe someone can educate me.

I always block my reg as for me it's a cloning issue, some ne'er do well finds your reg, gets some plates made and you have to prove it's not you.

[MrHilario]

Lots of people see my reg every time I drive my car on the road. What's the difference?

[N13LXC]

Lots of people see my reg every time I drive my car on the road. What's the difference?

+1

Not sure what the risk is here? or what is solved by blocking it out. If you use public car parks, drive busy roads often, travel to cities, people will see your car, its plate and can easily follow you home without detection...

[daytonamart]

Lots of people see my reg every time I drive my car on the road. What's the difference?

It's a fair point.

[stevo55]

All fair questions and here's the fair answers!

What's the point? :
You will get criminal gangs casing neighbourhoods for likely targets which is a standard tactic (particularly in wealthy areas) but it also exposes them to detection albeit by getting noticed or flagging up on CCTV/ANPR. Calculated risk OR browse open forums like this one from the safety of their home and identify likely victims from the plates. This leads me to:

How?:
One way is a friendly car dealer who will spin the plate legitimately and get a home address for that vehicle.

On the subject of surveillance without going into the nitty gritty, there will almost always be a period of surveillance (be it physical or electronic-part of which is getting your VRN off the 'post your pictures here' etc section) on the intended target.
People will get followed home or something like the old 'rear ended' trick to get you to stop.

There seems to be a rash of thefts at the moment (mainly in the Midlands but it can be anywhere), we have so many posts on this, we have overheard conversations where guys are asking if anyone's seen any RS6's around (with a view to stealing them) I could go on and on.
My point is obscure your plates guys! Or not. It's up to you if you think I'm talking out of my rear end. Just some friendly advice.

[nij]

If you use a mobile phone or a camera with GPS feature, you can get the (EXIF) coordinate where the photo is taken.

[MikeFish]

If you use a mobile phone or a camera with GPS feature, you can get the (EXIF) coordinate where the photo is taken.

Surely only if you have geo tagging switched on.

[MikeFish]

The way I see it there are 2 potential issues. 1 is plate cloning and the other is whether they can get your address using your plate.
I think only the police and other government agencies have access to addresses unless they know a dodgy copper.
And for plate cloning you can go on auto trader or Audi used car website for plenty of number plates in the right colour.

[BenHol]

I think a Hpi report may show current keeper detail.

[stevo55]

If my post is making forum members think about it then it's job done for me. We're seeing far too many cars stolen currently and if by spreading awareness then that's also good. Why make it easy for them?

[Jon_J]

Desperately trying to locate a car I used to own, I wish it was simple to find keeper details. I'm not sure it is though.

[BenHol]

Can't you just do a Hpi on the reg?

[N13LXC]

So, you realise car meets get organised in these sites? So if I'm a crook, there's my easiest way to find a large stock of RS vehicles and a rough location of where the drivers are from.

Obscuring a plate provides little to no additional security. It's like the lambo in the garage under my flat, it's registered in Wimbledon, doesn't live there and I certainly haven't seen it in a forum/other website...