Next time you get behind the wheel, you might want to check your back bumper first. A rash of ripped of license plates has Greenville Police on the lookout for sneaky drivers. "Honestly, how often do you look at the back of your car to make sure your tag is still there," asks Sgt. Jason Rampey with the Greenville Police Department. In recent weeks, many drivers have become victims. Most don't even realize their plate is gone until several days later. Rampey says the thieves are usually gone in just a couple of minutes. "Most of the time we see a tag stolen from someone, it's to conceal the fact that they don't have insurance, don't have registration, it may be on a stolen car, or all three."
The problem: how to spot the stolen goods. With thousands of cars on the road, officers claim it's next to impossible. "That's difficult for law enforcement officers when you're rolling, you're moving, you're going to calls," says Sgt. Rampey.
Soon though, the city might get some help. The department is hoping to buy a new tool, that looks out for drivers taking off with your tag. The technology would work like a camera, scanning parking lots and roads as an officer is driving for stolen tags or cars. It could be costly, but Rampey believes it's worth it, and could lead to criminals committing other crimes. "It might also allow the officer to identify and recover those tags that may be involved in something greater."
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