BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FOR the past few weeks a number of persons have been calling in on radio stations and complaining about missing license plates from their vehicles.
One woman was even heard saying that she saw someone driving a vehicle with her registration number. Not knowing if it was a mistake by the traffic department or the result of illegal activity, she said she immediately reported the situation.
Meanwhile it is said that criminal minds have now gone into the car jacking business and are not only stealing cars and leaving them abandoned but also stealing license plates.
Upon contacting Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) with responsibility for Crime, Ian Queeley, to find out if there have been any reports of such activity, he said he has only been aware of one situation where it was reported that an individual rented a car and the plates were removed.
“Besides that I have not received, nor am I aware of any other reports,” he indicated.
Queeley also told this media house that about three weeks ago there was an incident where an individual’s car was stolen and when it was found there were a number of license plates which the police confiscated from the back seat.
SKNVibes also spoke with Head of the Traffic Department, Inspector Cromwell Henry who said they have received a number of reports of missing plates being taken from parked vehicles from both the back and front.
He indicated that there have been five reports made to the Traffic Department in the last month and a half.
Inspector Henry said that although there is not much they can do because they do not know the perpetrators; they often notify patrols to be on the look out for certain registration numbers.
In speaking with a number of taxi drivers a few of them were unaware of the situation while some others said they have heard talk about several incidents.
One elderly driver said he thinks one of their colleagues had been a victim of this some weeks ago while his vehicle was parked at home. He added that this is a very bad thing but there is not much that can be done.
Vehicle drivers and the general public are asked to be vigilant and to report observations of abnormal activity with regard to license plates to the authorities.
