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A woman from Kent found out her car registration plate had been cloned when her insurance company accused her of being in a crash in Liverpool, despite being over 280 miles away. Shelli Birkett, residing in Herne Bay, stated she had never visited Liverpool and had to fight to prove her innocence. This incident sheds light on the increasingly prevalent issue of number plate fraud, involving the replication or theft of plates. Kent Police disclosed a surge in reports concerning this type of crime in recent years.
Ms. Birkett managed to close her case after providing evidence of her whereabouts being in her hometown on the day of the supposed accident. Despite initially being frightened by the accusation, she was able to demonstrate her presence in Herne Bay through Google locations and social media posts from that day. The culprits not only cloned her number plate but also affixed it to a vehicle of the same make, adding to the complexity of the situation. Subsequently, she received demand letters from the insurer’s lawyers seeking settlement funds, even after the case conclusion.
In a concerning trend, statistics obtained by the BBC uncovered a 37% increase in reported number plate thefts in Kent over a span of four years. The escalation was stark, with 1,120 instances reported in 2024 compared to 815 in 2020, as per a Freedom of Information request. Chief Superintendent Rob Marsh from Kent Police highlighted how stolen number plates are being exploited for various criminal activities, such as evading charges or fuel theft. The Home Office acknowledged the ramifications of number plate cloning on road safety and criminal cover-ups, emphasizing collaborative efforts with law enforcement and government agencies to combat such crimes.
Efforts are underway to address the growing concerns surrounding number plate theft and cloning, as exemplified by Ms. Birkett’s ordeal in clearing her name from a falsely attributed car crash in a distant city. The intricate web of number plate fraud underscores the need for increased vigilance and stringent measures to curb such criminal activities. As authorities work towards implementing a new Road Safety Strategy to mitigate road-related crimes, it is crucial to remain vigilant against emerging threats and safeguard against potential vulnerabilities in the system
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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