IF
IF YOU'RE
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT VIDEO FROM A 25 INVESTIGATES HIDDEN CAMERA
INVESTIGATION. THOSE ARE
LICENSE PLATES FOR SALE ON THE
CHEAP. OUR TEAM WENT UNDERCOVER
WHILE WORKING ON A STORY ABOUT
STOLEN TAGS INVESTIGATIVE
REPORTER TED DANIEL JOINS US
LIVE. AND TED, YOU'VE BEEN
LOOKING AT WHAT COULD HAPPEN
WHEN A STOLEN PLANE.
>> ENDS UP IN THE WRONG HANDS.
MARK VANESSA, ABOUT A 100
PLACE, A REPORTED STOLEN EVERY
WEEK IN MASSACHUSETTS. MOST ARE
NEVER RECOVERED. 25
INVESTIGATES FOUND CRIMINALS
WILL TARGET TAGS FROM SPECIFIC
CARS AND THEN USE THEM TO PULL
OFF SERIOUS CRIMES.
>> GOING GOING GONE 64 SECONDS
IS ALL IT TOOK WHAT SEEMS LIKE
A MINOR CRIME CAN LEAD TO
MAJOR HEADACHES.
MAJOR HEADACHES. >> JUST ASK SANDRA PICKET
SOMETIME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
NIGHT. I HEARD POUNDING ON THE
DOOR. IT WAS 2 OFFICERS AT THE
DOOR ASKING ABOUT A POLICE
CHASE IN HAVRE. THEY'RE LIKE
MA'AM.
MA'AM.
MA'AM. >>
MA'AM. >> YOU JUST SHOW US SOME ID.
YOU NEED TO TELL US WHERE
YOU'VE BEEN WITH YOUR CAR.
AND I WAS LIKE, I HAVEN'T BEEN
ANYWHERE. I'VE BEEN ASLEEP.
POLICE HAD GOOD REASON TO SPEAK
WITH SANDRA. HERE'S WHAT A HERO
OFFICER WROTE IN HIS REPORT
ABOUT THE CAR HE CHASED THE
VEHICLE REGISTRATION CAME BACK
ACTIVE TO A BLUE HONDA INSIGHT
SANDRA PICKETT.
SANDRA PICKETT. >> THE VEHICLE. I WAS PURSUING
WAS A BLUE HONDA SEDAN. SANDRA
EXPLAINED IT WASN'T HER OR HER
CAR IN HAVERHILL. BUT YES, IT
COULD HAVE BEEN HER PLATE JUST
HOURS EARLIER, SHE NOTICED HER
FRONT ONE MISSING WHEN SHE
STOPPED TO PICK UP A BIRTHDAY
CARD.
CARD.
CARD. >>
CARD. >> WE NOW KNOW IT ENDED UP ON A
STOLEN CAR THAT LED POLICE
THROUGH SEVERAL RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOODS. HONESTLY NEVER
THOUGHT OF LIKE STOLEN SOME
PLACES A THING AT ALL. BUT IT'S
A THING THAT HAPPENS ALL THE
TIME. I JUST HAVE NEVER HEARD
OF IT.
OF IT.
OF IT. >>
OF IT. >> 25 INVESTIGATES CHECKED.
WE FOUND MORE THAN 5,000 PLATES
REPORTED STOLEN IN
MASSACHUSETTS LAST YEAR.
>> AND NEARLY 1400 ALREADY THIS
YEAR ACCORDING TO DATA PROVIDED
TO US BY THE ARM. THE THEY CAN
GO DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS REALIZE
IT'S SOMEONE'S TAKEN UP LATER,
THE PLATES FALLEN OFF. AND
LAWRENCE POLICE CHIEF ROY
VASQUEZ, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF
THE MASSACHUSETTS MAJOR CITY
POLICE CHIEFS.
POLICE CHIEFS. HE'S A STOLEN LICENSE PLATES
ARE OFTEN USED ON CAUSE SIMILAR
OR EVEN IDENTICAL TO THE ONES
THEY'RE TAKEN FROM IF SOMEONE
IS DRIVING A BLUE FORD THAT
IS THEY'LL LOOK TO GET A PLAY
OFF A BLUE FORD. OH YEAH.
ABSOLUTELY. WE'LL TRY TO GET
DOWN TO THE VERY YEAR. IF THEY
CAN.
CAN.
CAN. >>
CAN. >> THAT WAY WHEN LAW
ENFORCEMENT RUNS THE PLATE,
IT WILL RAISE AN EYEBROW.
WE'LL COME BACK STOLEN.
INTELLECTUAL COME BACK TO THE
COLOR OF THE VEHICLE AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT. AND I THINK TWICE
ABOUT THIS ALMOST HOME AND DRY
>> WE REVIEW DOZENS OF POLICE
REPORTS AND COURT REFERENCED
LICENSE PLATES. ACCORDING TO
ONE FEDERAL INDICTMENT FROM
SEPTEMBER, A RETAIL THEFT RING
THAT HIT HIGH END STORES IN
MASSACHUSETTS, NEW HAMPSHIRE
AND 4 OTHER STATES USED RENTAL
CARS AND AT LEAST 3 STOLEN
LICENSE PLATES SO AS TO CONCEAL
THE TRUE REGISTRATION OF THE
VEHICLES USED TO COMMIT
THE CRIMES WHILE WORKING ON THE
STORY. 25 INVESTIGATES LEARNED
OF STOLEN PLATES RECOVERED IN
MASSACHUSETTS THAT WERE
ALLEGEDLY BOUGHT AT A SALEM NEW
HAMPSHIRE FLEA OUR CREW WENT TO
THE FLEA MARKET UNDERCOVER WITH
3 HIDDEN CAMERAS. WE SEARCHED
OUTSIDE. AND THEN IN WE FOUND
BUCKETS FULL OF LICENSE PLATES
FOR SALE AT ONE OF THE
PERMANENT STALLS. WE SAW TAX
FROM MASSACHUSETTS, RHODE
ISLAND AND NEW HAMPSHIRE
SELLING FOR UNDER $10 APIECE
LEGALLY. THERE IS NO WAY FOR US
TO INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRM IF
ANY OF THE PLATES WE SAW HAVE
EVER BEEN REPORTED STOLEN.
PEOPLE DO COLLECT THEM FOR
HOBBY. BUT ACCORDING TO THESE
MASSACHUSETTS DRIVER'S MANUAL,
YOU MUST BEND AND RECYCLE OR
DESTROY PLATES. IF YOU HAVE
SO HOW DO YOU PROTECT YOURSELF.
ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS TO
DISCOURAGE THEFT IS TO SECURELY
FASTENED, A PLATE WITH ALL 4
SCREWS AND YOU CAN TAKE IT A
STEP FURTHER. WE BOUGHT AN ANTI
THEFT KIT ONLINE FOR 14 BUCKS.
IT COMES WITH SPECIAL SCREWS.
>> IT REQUIRES A SPECIFIC DRILL
BIT OR ALLEN WRENCH TO REMOVE
SOMETHING. THE AVERAGE PARKING
LOT. THE LIKELY WON'T HAVE THIS
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS
SOMEONE RIPPING OFF BOTH OF
JESSE BOOT, A STAG CENTER
REPAIR SHOP IN ARLINGTON.
>> FOR ALL HE KNOWS THEY
HAVEN'T BEEN USED IN ANY
CRIMES. BUT HE SAYS IT WAS
STILL A HASSLE. YOU CAN DRIVE
YOUR CAR YOU GET THE TEMPORARY
PLATES AND.
PLATES AND. >> THEIR MISSION THEM AT THE R.
AND B, YOU WAIT FOR THEM IN
AN EMAIL UP AFTER YOU PAY THEM.
THAT'S PROBABLY MORE POLICE.
AND I'VE TALKED TO MY ENTIRE
LIFE. SANDRA PICKETT'S PLATE
WAS ALSO USED TO COMMIT CRIMES
IN VALRICO. IT TOOK HER DAYS TO
CLEAN UP THE MESS AND TO TOP
IT OFF. SHE GOT STUCK WITH THE
BAD GUYS TOLLS. I JUST FEEL BAD
FOR ANYBODY HAS TO GO THROUGH
THAT WHOLE PROCESS.
IF YOUR PLANE IS STOLEN.
THE FIRST THING YOU WANT TO DO
IS FILE A POLICE REPORT AND
DON'T DELAY.
DON'T DELAY. >> POLICE WILL ENTER THE NUMBER
INTO A NATIONAL IF IT'S USED IN
A CRIME LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL
KNOW IT'S STOLEN. YOU ALSO NEED
TO APPLY FOR NEW ONES FROM THE
RMV VANESSA, THE FEE IS ABOUT
$10 PER PLATE. AND IF IT'S TOLD
YOU OBVIOUSLY WANT TO GET A NEW
NUMBER BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT THE PERSON WHO STOLE IT
MIGHT BE DOING WITH IT. SO
CRAZY TO SEE HOW QUICKLY THIS
CAN HAPPEN AND WHAT A MESS IT
CAN LEAD TO. I HAD NO IDEA.
THIS IS EVEN A THING UNTIL I
STARTED TALKING TO THESE PEOPLE
AND NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAD
BEEN ACCUSED OF CRIMES. THEY
DIDN'T COMMIT JUST