likely to have what you need a
>> New at 10 o’clock. You have
no doubt seen the paper tags
flapping in the wind as drivers
speed down the highway. They
are everywhere, but not all of
them
are legit tonight. KPRC 2
investigates Amy Davis explains
how these fake plates are
getting out there and why
they’re contributing to
unsolved violent crimes.
>> A Nassau Bay police sergeant
hit and killed during a traffic
stop.
A 17 year-old attending an
Astros game shot dead in a road
rage incident. And in New
Orleans off-duty police officer
eating dinner at the Galleria
area restaurant gunned down
and killed all senseless
shocking crimes, but something
else they all have
in common. The getaway cars and
each had temporary Texas paper
license plates. The thief got
away in a black four-door
Cadillac with paper plates.
What’s often a footnote in
crime coverage to door red
Acura with paper plates.
Both vehicles had fake
paper plates.
>> Travis County precinct 3
constable sergeant Jose says
should be the headline. It is
embarrassing.
because eskamani says these
paper plates you see all over
the road are legal practically
given with the blessing of the
Texas Department of Motor
Vehicles the system is not
allowing them to work with.
And the taxes, the in the
system, which to me is
>> Here’s the problem. Car
dealers in the state of Texas
have access to the DMV
temporary license plate portal.
So when they sell a vehicle.
They can print a paper plate
for
the customer. But Esther says
many of the so-called dealers aren’t selling any cars.
aren’t selling any cars.
Just in the business of selling
temporary tags. We didn’t find
them all over facebook
temporary tags for $45 from
the seller in pearland. They
told us we could get one in 20
to 30 minutes by email. And you
automatically know that if
you’re
temporary tag by email. It’s fake Harris County sheriff’s
fake Harris County sheriff’s
deputy melody waits as these
paper plates put her and other
patrol officers in danger every
time they make a stop. You
never know who you’re pulling
over at that point because.
>> You
can have four-time felons in
the car. Committing crimes with
a temporary tag not all drivers
of vehicles with temporary tags
or violent felons. Some are
avoiding inspections on
vehicles that wouldn’t
otherwise pass drivers can also
avoid
buying insurance and no need to
stop and pay tolls on that
about it. I don’t see why you
wouldn’t be mad about this
because it’s going to be you
that gets hit by somebody that
doesn’t have their stuff
together.
>> Take a look at this
100, 20 120 ahead. 58 178
fraudulent paper tags
confiscated in 2 weeks by one
deputy one officer. So who’s
buying them for doing a story
on paper tags and we noticed
you have one on your vehicle.
We tried to talk with drivers
of vehicles with paper plates
along expired. You tell us
where you
but mind a buddy I mean, so did you. Yeah. He
mean, so did you. Yeah. He
does. Look at the list. So now
>> Experts say the vehicle
identification numbers on the
paper plates. Rarely matched of
INS on the vehicle because the
DMV system lets dealers type in
anything. There’s no checks and
balances. And
the so-called dealers getting
license by the DMV are using
fake driver’s licenses and
bogus businesses when they
apply the law enforcement in
vacant lots like
this one.
>> The DMV refused our request
for an interview claiming they
don’t want to compromise any
ongoing criminal
investigations.
They say they’re focused on
implementing a new law passed
in September that gives the DMV
authority to crack down on fake
car dealers doling out
thousands of paper plates.
Yet in October, board members
kick the can down the road
until at least December.
Give us a fighting chance.
And don’t let me sit here with
one hand tied behind my back.
>> We’ve been doing this for
3 years now and still here we
are.
♪
>> Right now on click 2
Houston, dot com. We’re showing
you how to identify legitimate
temporary Texas tags. And we’ll
explain what the DMV
is considering to fix this