Obscuring number plates?

Who can access your number plate info...?

apart from Explore Oz?

In NSW, up until about 20 years ago you could pay the RTA $7.00 and they would give you the name and address of the owner of the plate you nominate. Privacy laws put an end to that but it was basically for accidents where drivers bumped your car and left the scene etc!! Michael.

Can't see how obscuring your number plate when posting pictures on the internet will help. If you are on holidays your number plate would be visible almost 24/7. Everyone's number plate (on holiday or not) is visible when driving around the street.

Not sure what the urban myth is but I would rate it as severe unwarranted paranoia.

Cheers
Greg

Sure it is visible when you are driving around the street - but do you have your name and address displayed with it? Although many of us use pen names on the internet, someone determined could find most of us. Most people post on Facebook under their own names.

I value my privacy and that of my family. I obscure the rego number when posting on the internet.

Mmmm..not convinced its worth worrying about. Most simple crimes are opportunistic. If you want to burgle a house just wait out the front for a few hours. Everyone will leave their house eventually. No need to wait for them to go on holidays or post a picture of their car in the Kimberly on the internet. If its not paranoia its something close.

Cheer
Greg

Crime is not just opportunistic climbing through the back window of your house and taking your jewellery Greg. There is identity theft from collecting enough information. There are incidents such as this one where a member of a forum by chance found a photo of his caravan complete with rego shown and quoted, taken from that forum, for sale cheap on a regular on line sales site - you know the ones "I am overseas so my agent will pick up" scams.

I am talking probabilities in relation to the OPs original question - the probability of someone seeing your number plate in a picture on the internet and then committing a crime against you by using this information somehow is so low that it is not worth worrying about for more than one second. You have far more chance of winning lotto.

With respect to the caravan incident : the caravan owner was not the victim - the guy buying it was. The scammer could have got a picture of as many caravans as he/she likes from anywhere.

Cheers
Greg

In WA they use a gear ID code for all recreatial fishing gear (nets and pots).

Initial of first name and surname and month and year of birth e.g. AD1268

Pretty anonymous.

Cheers

Anthony

Like Greg above I can't see the worth of hiding the number plate.

As an aside question; Jeffrey Can't PM you so I will ask here. Even Google wouldn't help me.

What's "Have fun Haji-Baba"?

Gday
I have my old GPS set for my neighbours address.

Why? Don't you get along with them Muz! LOL

Cheers

Anthony

Gday Anthony
They are top people , and he is my solicitor. He also loves a good scotch .

.
I love a good Scotch too Muz.
Put my address in your GPS mate. lol

Gday Allan
Your on for the next meeting . Ill find something nice and we can imbibe with others together.

There was a case here in WA many years ago now, where a woman that was working in the licencing department was either affiliated with a some gang or was being blackmailed. She was found to be handing over names and addresses of, from memory, some police officers from the number plates of their private vehicles.

Cheers
Pop

Better hope the robbers of the world dont get hold of a copy of this.......a phone book. Names, addresses and phone numbers of thousands of people.....including those who dont have cars with number plates or facebook accounts :)

Cheers
Greg

Mate, I asked them if they could keep my name visible, but x out my address and phone number in that book. You can't be too careful. :-)

I'm not taking my vehicle out of my garage from now on and when I do I'll be removing the number plates.

No, what you do is go to a forum for your type of car, find picture of one the same colour with the plates in view, then knock up a copy number plate with their rego and secure it over yours. Then you can drive through as many speed cameras as you like and they will pay the bills. :-)

I think my summation is paranoia....

There's nothing paranoiac about it. It's just good, cautious protective behaviour, when you have no idea who is viewing your stuff, and what they might plan.
I guess it's the same behaviour as your dog, who growls at strangers looking through your fence!
He doesn't know what the stranger's got in mind, either - but he's making sure he doesn't get easy access to your property or moveable assets!

For the same reason, I don't publish pics on the 'net or in any forum, of the inside of my big workshop, with big red toolboxes and other expensive tools and equipment on display in the pic. I ensure that they're cropped out.

My workshop is one of a group of 12 factory units, 6 each side of a wide central laneway that runs off a cul-de-sac.
Nearly every day, we get "snoopers" who drive slowly down the laneway, rubber-necking every open workshop doorway.

They reach the end of the laneway, turn around, and drive out without speaking to anyone.
If I step out into the laneway (which is private land) to ask them what they want, 50% drive straight past me without stopping, or even making eye contact - and the other 50% usually come out with a reason like, "I'm looking for Joe Bloggs" - or, "I just wanted to test my suspension out on the speed humps" (yes, I actually got this answer once! - there's two speed humps in the laneway).

The fact that there's no Joe Bloggs anywhere in any of the units, or the fact that the snooper never even got out of his vehicle to ask about Joe Bloggs, doesn't seem to faze them!

As a result, I keep my workshop door shut most of the time, and certainly don't have my big red toolboxes on open display.
Maybe I'm being just a little paranoiac? Yep. Maybe I am. But I think I have good reason to, when I know that Joe my workshop neighbour - who had a near new Landcruiser ute in for minor repair, had it almost gutted one night.

The thieves took everything they could unbolt without actually stealing the whole vehicle. Obviously, they didn't want to be burdened down by an unsaleable chassis!

I trust the snoopers also realise I often just happen to take good shots of the snoopers faces with my surveillance camera!
But, you're right! Those numberplates I record are of no use to me, they could be false! [;-)

Cheers, Ron.

Hmmm, now we know you have some nice tool cases... thanks for the info!

Paul - Good luck with finding them! - and even better luck with getting away with them!
I have over 50 yrs of experience in defeating thieves, and I've been successful a whole lot more times than they have!

Cheers, Ron.

Yeah Paul, I have already tried that and failed (wrong town :( Besides no need to pick on Ron - plenty of other sheds with tools in them out there :)

Cheers
Greg

I agree. Lots of unsupported comment and speculation. Yes common sense needed when away from home and it doesn't matter whether you are just down the road or in another state.
I'm going to tempt fate (again) and use social media and post travel pics and not cover my licence plates.

Post your departure date on here so I can tell my Bikie friends when you will be away. Will get them to leave the house clean and tidy after they load the truck up.

Funny you should mention that, TomH. Way back in the early 1970's when crime levels were much lower, I lived in a small country town about 300kms SE of Perth.

There was a farmhouse about 8kms out, on the main road to the next town to the North.
The farmhouse was quite visible from the road, but set back amongst some trees, about 400M off the road.
The owners went away for an extended weekend in Perth - and when they returned, the house was gutted! - clean as a whistle!
The thieves had taken every single thing in the house, that wasn't bolted down! - including all the moveable furniture!

The locals and the police were stunned, it was pretty obvious that it was a team effort, and that they were armed with a very large furniture truck - and probably a trailer as well!

Nothing was ever recovered, and the thieves were never caught.

Cheers, Ron.

Tom

Presumes I have anything off interest, if they saw my place they'd be leaving me something out of sympathy!

Good luck out there, Baz - The Landy

Ps: But if they do take anything I now know who to send Inspector Plod around to see. It's a bugger social media and forums, never know how you'll catch yourself out!

I've been insured for 36 yrs and never made a household claim....but IF I got burgled , I hope they gut the joint !! In need of a lot of new stuff !! lol

I think you will find that crime rates are actually lower now than they were in the past. It's a bit like the road toll. Prisons are full because there are more people and not many more prisons but the rates per 100,000 have steadily dropped. It's certainly not worth stealing something like a dvd player anymore.....we throw perfectly good ones out now and that applies to quite a few types of items.. I've got a draw full of working phones and tablets.

Michael, unfortunately that is not true. The drug scourge has increased the number of stealing crimes by sizeable figures.
In Perth alone, there has been such an increase in stealing crimes, the W.A. police have launched a major effort to try and bring the stealing crime rate down.

Motor vehicle thefts are up more than 20% over the previous 5 year period.
Theft and property crimes are up 14% in the last year alone.

In just two recent major cases, thieves were targeting rural properties. In each case, the W.A. police FOUND around $500,000 worth of stolen property at each address, when the offenders were nailed.

That's just what was FOUND in their possession. The thieves would have already fenced double that amount.
We aren't talking DVD's. We're talking 4WD's, earthmovers, farm tractors, quad bikes, vast amounts of high value power tools, furniture, whitegoods, jewellery and cash.
Today in W.A., you are now much more likely to have substantial losses than in past years, due to thieves looking to subsidise their meths habit. Most are professional repeat offenders.

W.A. crime rate makes Perth home invasion and theft capital of Australia

W.A. crime rate surges with 600 offences per day

ABC - Perth crime surge

$500,000 worth of stolen goods found at Northam property

$500,000 worth of equipment stolen from one household

Motorbike theft ring smashed after $500,000 worth of bikes stolen (2013)

Theft and vandalism on new home sites is now at unbelievable levels - so much so, builders now hire full-time security guards, install cameras on every site - and have even taking to fitting whitegoods with GPS trackers.

Two building-site thieves recently apprehended, were caught with a total of $350,000 worth of new building materials, ripped out of new houses.

Builders battle to stop thieves

Police raid building-site thieves properties

So, no, crime rates aren't lower today, they are very much increased over previous decades - and we now also have to contend with global internet thieves, global crime gangs who target ATM's, and indulge in large-scale scams - plus identity theft, a growing scourge on the nation, and a crime which can make your life a constant misery.
Ask anyone who has had their identity stolen, and see what a devastating effect it has on their daily life.

Almost daily, my wife and I receive several phone calls from scammers - from Windows security scammers, to share pushing scams, lottery win scams, through to "tax-dept-debt" scammers.
The last one is an abusive, threatening arsehole, who is particularly menacing. He calls regularly. There's little chance he'll ever be caught, and he knows it.

So, yes, I guess all of the above, just makes me completely paranoiac about theft and criminal activity - and you all live in completely crime-free regions.

Cheers, Ron.

Probably none of the crimes in the stats related to criminals sourcing info on victims by seeing number plates on the net though..which was the original question.

Cheers
Greg

I agree with your comment Greg. I believe the number plate thing is an urban myth. On this forum and the Caravanners forum, despite a total of around 50 posts there is not one actual case of plate tracing resulting in a crime being substantiated. Lots of comment, conjecture and opinion...so each to his own I guess.

It's not even remotely possible to substantiate links between displaying your vehicles numberplate on the internet, and crime.

The police don't record any methods the criminals use, they aggregate statistics into numbers and percentages.

No crim is going to reveal his modus operandi to police, and harrassed police have plenty else to do, besides interrogate criminals with regard as to how they utilised information gained off the 'net.

The police are only interested in finding evidence to support a charge against a crim, and to defend their actions against the smart-arse criminal lawyers, who can always find a loophole to reduce the charges, or get their client off the hook completely.

Number plates are a primary ID tool in this world, and more and more authorities and corporations are recording number plates and placing the info gleaned from recording them on databases.
Toll road operators, number-plate recognition cameras, and traffic-tracking CCTV cameras are just some of the databases that come to mind - besides the Motor Vehicle Registry database.

The more these databases increase in number and size - and the more that large numbers of corporate and govt employees can access them - which employees have not been properly scrutinised, to ensure database security - then the more likely the chances of your number plate info being used for nefarious purposes.
Even police have been caught utilising supposedly-secure database information, to carry out crimes.

Until I can be 100% sure that no-one with criminal intent, can access my number plate movement information, vehicle type, ownership, and regular parking location - then I will continue to take as many steps as I can to disrupt any criminal intent, that may have been helped, by providing number plate information.

Rebirthing gangs are always on the lookout for particular vehicle types, and thieves steal to order for them.

The problem is, that once a photo is on the 'net with a clearly visible number plate, that info is readily available to a world-wide audience of crims, on a 24/7/365 basis.
And it's not just the number plate, it is the information that they can glean from the rest of the photo, plus any information you have placed on the 'net - and that means forums, social media and a hundred other sources of personal information.

There is a site called Matespotter which will dredge up substantial amounts of information about you, from a large number of databases - just from your name alone.
I have often surprised people by telling them just how much I have found out about them, by doing some internet research - and crims have plenty of time to do research, because they prefer not to work, but would rather indulge in the "easy money" handed to them by careless people who are happy to give out personal info on the internet - that they would never normally give to a stranger in the street!
But when you post info on the 'net, you are essentially giving that info to dubious strangers in the street!

I'm always shaking my head at the number of people on forums who provide a large list of their prized possessions on their forum signature line! That's the equivalent of giving a ready-made shopping list to crims, IMO!

And the height of stupidity? Posting photos on the 'net, of the inside of your house, so crims can identify theft targets and find their way around easily, once inside!
I'm always amazed at people doing this openly in real estate ads. If I show someone the inside of my house, I want to know who they are, and their background, and the likelihood of them carrying out a property crime against me.

Cheers, Ron.

Wow.....I think I'll be holidaying with stolen plates from now on and having an identity register and mugshot camera at the front door. Sorry I can't take to much of these replies seriously, I'd be scared to drive down the road. I'm 66 and been burgled once, opportunistic little prick...I'd be flattering his intelligence to suggest he'd harvested my number plate.

Now I’m no criminal, but I was once called a burglar for scoring 50, not out, in a cricket match, but that is another story.

So I make the following observations from the sideline.

Whether people blot their number plate out or not is unlikely to have any significant influence on whether your home is burgled or not. And I use the word significant as it is all about risk management, how significant is the risk?

But realistically, when travelling, your number plate is always on display. If Ma & PA are travelling, caravan in tow, with an interstate number plate any ‘crim could easily form a view you aren’t at home (well most). No need to scan internet forums for photos of cars with number plates showing…

Though I’m betting the risk of burglary doesn’t come from the ‘crim recording number plates at border crossings, but from the one down the road from home who has noticed your car and caravan aren’t parked in the driveway – so take the best precautions you can afford to protect your home and enjoy your holiday…

Ultimately, if you feel you should blot it out, than do it…

Now where is that cardboard cut-out of the TVAN & Tug…

Good weekend to all, Baz – The Landy

The ironic thing about this whole thread is that I haven't seen Ron N's number plate but I have established he's on holidays in Broome (though appears to spend most of his time typing) and has a shit load of expensive tools sitting in a red tool box in a shed, down a lane way in a dead end street in Kal/Boulder....:)

Cheers
Greg

Good luck with your search, Greg - you got just one right, out of the total - the part about the big red toolboxes! [:-)

Only been to Kal once in the last few years, got no real need to go there again! - because I spent 20 yrs working around the Goldfields! I have spent the last 26 yrs mostly living in the big city, though!

I personally don't really care about whether some people regard showing number plates in internet pics as important or unimportant - all I'm saying is that I'm not going to help anyone with criminal intent in any way - and as part of that, scrubbing the numbers off the number plates of any of my vehicles, or friends vehicles, in my pics, will remain my standard modus operandi.

Cheers, Ron.

That's amazing Greg......All I've learnt is to move as far away from Joe Bloggs as possible. :-)

bugger ..just spent all day driving around the wrong town....if only I had that number plate :)

Cheers
Greg

Those that go to the effort of obscurring plates should not go away. They should sleep in their vans in their house yard. But then they would complain about getting beaten up in a home invasion.
There are plenty of ways to find your address that are a lot easier than looking at rego no.s.
If someone wants to rob you they will.

Of course if you are somewhere where you shouldn't be or doing something outside the law that may implicate you then I can understand but I think the majority of pro rub them out people are just paranoid or don't have insurance.