According to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles' website, the goal of this change is to enhance security, prevent fraud, and strengthen traffic enforcement.
Precinct 4 recommended that people do the following:
- Use anti-theft screws
- Park near walls, in well-lit areas or inside a garage
- Check license plates regularly and memorize your plate number
- Install locking frames
- Use cameras with motion detection
On Friday, the constable's office said it responded to a call about a woman actively switching license plates on a vehicle in a parking lot in the 26300 block of the Northwest Freeway. Upon arrival, law enforcement said a deputy found the vehicle and confirmed it had been reported stolen. The constable's office said the suspect was no longer on scene and is working to identify and locate her.
The constable's office recommended that people do the following if their plates are stolen:
- File a police report immediately
- Report the theft to your county tax office
- Complete a form to get new plates
- Keep all documents and reports for your records
Adrian Robles said his license plates were stolen back in April.
"I was leaving for work one morning, and I noticed like, 'Man, what? Why are my plates missing?'" Robles said.
Robles said he found the answer to that question after looking at his security camera footage.
"The only real movement I saw was from my neighbor, who I have caught in the past stealing other items from me," Robles said. "You see him walking towards the vehicle, and then on his way back, he just had something in his hand, which I assumed was the plates."
Robles said his neighbor initially denied stealing the license plates, but after law enforcement got involved, Robles said his neighbor returned them the next day.
"I asked him, 'Oh, you know, where did you find them?' He didn't tell me anything," Robles said.
Still, at that point, Robles said he had already gone through the process of getting replacements.
"I think the replacement plates cost me like $70," Robles said.
The experience pushed Robles to take extra safety measures for the future.
"I did go and get anti-theft fasteners," Robles said. "I haven't had anybody else try to steal my plates."