Late last month, Baltimore County police responded to two incidents of license plate theft on Yarnall Road in Baltimore Highlands. While a missing tag might not seem like much, it can lead to bigger problems.
When a driver is caught without both plates, the fine is $70, according to Cpl. John Wachter, public information officer with the Baltimore County Police.
According to the Motor Vehicle Administration website, the cost to replace lost, stolen or damages tags is $20.
Some stolen plates seem to disappear forever, but others show up later on stolen or unregistered cars, Wachter said.
Making it more difficult to recover stolen vehicle tags, he added, is the fact that people often don't realize their plates have been stolen until well after they have been removed.
"How many people really check their plates in the morning?" Wachter asked.
In the 18 months from Jan. 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014, the Wilkens Police Station, which covers southwest Baltimore County, recorded 120 incidents of license plate theft. That is the same amount of reports as the Essex Precinct and only one less than the Dundalk area precinct.
The Woodlawn Precinct had 162 reports of stolen license plates during that time period.
Theft of license plates can happen any time of day anywhere, but Capt. Douglas Irwin, commander of the Wilkens Precinct, said there are some actions owners can take to help decrease the likelihood that their plates may be stolen.
"The use of unique fasteners (torx or square drive screws) may help," said Irwin in an email. "Choosing a parking spot in a well lit, populated area would also help."
Wachter says people can protect themselves and their neighbors by being aware of any suspicious activity they see within their own communities.
"Make it very uncomfortable for a criminal to be in your neighborhood," said Wachter, adding that the best way to do so is to call the local police any time something seems out of place or unusual.
In the event a person's plates are stolen off their vehicle, Wachter recommends calling the police first and filing a report, and then calling the MVA to begin the process of replacing the tags.