[viewmont]

I've done a lot of searching and googled all i can. I went down to some local stores yesterday and didn't find anything either.

Does anybody out there know of a good idea to lessen license plates being stolen? I'm in Canada so anything that is a frame system probaly won't fit as our plates are a bit bigger. I probably will just use a set of bolts with different heads like torx or allen as I'm sure theives would only carry phillips and slot drivers.

hope someone can help!
Thanks

 

[mgthe3]

Look for these:
http://www.hudsonfasteners.com/sec/sec_tx_bhpms.htm
They even deter well tooled thieves. They come in metric stainless as well.

 

[viewmont]

cool site! lots that would work there. i wonder if home depot would carry those products or i have to order from the site. i'm going to home depot tomorrow so i have an idea of what to look for now.
Thanks!:29:

 

[chimpanzee]

Sorry to hear that you have lost your plate. Being someone not living in the States, perhaps you can educate me why people want to stole others license plate. The plate is not a valuable item so it seems to be kind of stupid if they get caught for stealing a license plate. Is yours a vanity plate?

Here in Singapore, the license plates are snap-on type so I can took someone's plate off within 10 seconds but no one here (as far as I know) get their plate stolen.

 

[dmako]

They steal them for the registration stickers.

Some people keep their plate in the rear window in high crime areas.

Sorry to hear that you have lost your plate. Being someone not living in the States, perhaps you can educate me why people want to stole others license plate. The plate is not a valuable item so it seems to be kind of stupid if they get caught for stealing a license plate. Is yours a vanity plate?

Here in Singapore, the license plates are snap-on type so I can took someone's plate off within 10 seconds but no one here (as far as I know) get their plate stolen.

 

[cschmidt]

dmv sell bolts around here...

that are the "tighten only" kind. They use a flat head screwdriver to tighten, but there is no material on the opposing sides to loosen the screw. Not sure how you take them off!

I used allen head screws on mine.

 

[JMcDonald]

Regarding comment about plates being stolen for the registration sticker - little trick I was told years ago is to use a razor or x-acto knive to slice regular 45 degree diagonals spaced about 3/16th inch apart (on both left and right slant). At least when attempt is made to remove the sticker for use on another plate, it comes apart in 3/16th inch squares that are (hopefully) impossible to reassemble on another plate......!

When I renew the plates every year, I just scrape the old registration sticker off and install the new one (that way there's no residual build-up on the plate).

 

[Ferio]

They are also stolen so people can commit another crime.

One night my Mom got a call from the police asking her if she knew where her car was. She sasid it was parked outside. Looked out the window and it was in the driveway. The police told her that her car had been reported as being involved in a holdup at at convenience store a few towns away.

She went outside and found that her plates had been pulled. The police came to the house and filed a report. The old plates were cancelled and she had to go through the expense of geting new plates and registration.

 

[viewmont]

well.... home depot was a bust. just walls and walls of regular type bolts. will try some other stores tomorrow.

 

[mgthe3]

look for a local fastener corp.....the parts counter guys will usually give you a sample. I have done this many times in the past. Say you are working for IBM and need to see if a certain fastener will help you with a tampering issue.
It works, I've done it.

 

[L8Shift]

Tamper Proof Screws

I think the tamper proof screws work best when the screws are recessed.

If you can get a good bite on the bolt head with a pair of vice grips, it won't be tamper proof anymore.

I guess a commercial electrical supply shop would be able to help..

elevator control panels come to mind...

Spanner (sp) bolt?? Has two pin holes to insert tool. Bolt head mushrooms up, so it is hard to get a 'bite' on the sides with a pair of vice-grips...

Then you need to buy the tool...to install/remove the screw/bolt.....

 

[GMTURBO43]

I picked up tamper-proof bolts at Pep Boys - cost under 5 bucks. I bought 4 used 2. If you can't find them let me know.

All they are is an Torx 10 (maybe 15) with a nipple inside. The required torx bit then has the inverted nipple so it can be turned.

It is a bit more than a phillips screw driver and may not be perfect but it has worked so far (not that I had a problem with my plates being stolen I just didn't like the rusty black bolts that were there )

I think anything that will deter them will help.

 

[viewmont]

Re: Tamper Proof Screws

elevator control panels come to mind...
Then you need to buy the tool...to install/remove the screw/bolt.....

i could just buy the tool and go grab what i need out of the elevator in my building. he heh. j/k :4:

 

[mgthe3]

LOL
That would be cool if they fit.

hehe