Switched License Plates A Growing Problem For Police
MOBILE Ala.
By Rick McCann
BlueRAMMedia.com
March 4, 2025
Switched license plates on vehicles is a pretty common traffic offense that police officers along the Gulf Coast and nationwide run into when stopping drivers for various traffic infractions.
Sometimes the reason is as simple as the original plate that was supposed to be on the vehicle is expired or they bought the used car and didn’t come with a license plate, so they took one from a different vehicle.
However, as law enforcement will attest to, there are other more nefarious reasons for switching tags.
Criminals keep switching tags with their goal being to trip up law enforcement and have it so the vehicle won’t be recognized as a wanted vehicle.
Those committing crimes will often switch license plates or cover the plate up completely, so that the vehicle can’t be traced. Other reasons for the license plate switching includes the vehicle itself being stolen and this helps to avoid Automatic License Plate Readers in areas that use them.
Although some of our areas do use license plate readers, they are not available in all areas or in all police vehicles allowing many violators to freely use the switched tag with very low chances of being caught unless police stop them for other offenses such as speeding, reckless driving, or not maintaining their lanes.
Switched license plates also hinder law enforcement when investigating Hit and Run accidents, which are also on the rise locally and in other states as well.
Attaching an unauthorized license plate to a vehicle in Alabama is a misdemeanor. This also applies when the intent is to hide the identity of the vehicle or its owner. When this occurs, the offender may be issued a misdemeanor citation and usually, the vehicle is towed because it is not legally registered to operate on public roadways. However, the person may be physically arrested and taken to the local jail and be held pending a bond hearing.
Law enforcement in both Mobile and Baldwin Counties have noticed the increase of this crime and say that they have found stolen license plates being used on vehicles committing crimes including a shooting that occurred last year in Mobile.
Juveniles are fast becoming the culprits who commit these crimes as well as those stealing cars and then changing the license plate from another vehicle that matches the stolen car.
Motorists should be alert and ensure that their tags are securely fastened to avoid theft as well as take a glance at their vehicle periodically to make sure that their license plate is still affixed to their vehicle.
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