Almost 27,000 number plates were pinched in Victoria last year. That’s 73 a day. You’d be forgiven for thinking this was just a petty nuisance, but RACV and Neighbourhood Watch Victoria are warning otherwise—and they want action. Specifically, they want the government to force car dealers to fit anti-theft screws on all new and used vehicles.
The push comes on the back of new data from the Victorian Crime Statistics Agency, showing a 45.8 per cent jump in number plate thefts in 2024 compared to the year before. It’s the highest figure in a decade, and a flashing warning light for motorists.
James Williams from RACV didn’t mince words: “RACV is calling on the Victorian Government to require new and second-hand vehicle dealerships to install number plates with anti-theft screws and for VicRoads to provide individuals with anti-theft screws to install on new or replacement number plates.”
He also wants to know what happened to the tech trials promised back in 2019—the ones that were meant to tackle number plate theft and cloning. It’s been nearly five years, and the silence from those trials has been louder than a revving V8 on Chapel Street.
Neighbourhood Watch Victoria CEO Bambi Gordon laid out why this isn’t just about a bit of metal going missing from the back of your car. “Thieves can rip off a standard plate in under ten seconds,” she said. “And they’re using them to commit fuel theft, drug trafficking, ram raids, burglaries, evade police, and dodge traffic fines.”
And that’s just the physical theft. A newer, sneakier problem is the so-called ‘virtual theft’. All it takes is a photo of your number plate on social media or a car sales site, and someone with a laminator or 3D printer can cook up a copy. Next thing you know, your plates—or what looks like them—are speeding through a toll gate or being snapped at a crime scene.
For victims, the cost is more than just stress. Replacing number plates can set you back anywhere between $39 and $293, depending on the type. On top of that, if you’re caught driving without proper plates while sorting the issue out, you’re looking at a $385 fine and three demerit points. Not to mention the awkward chat with your insurer or a court date if things get murky.
Gordon added, “People underestimate the flow-on effects of number plate theft. It’s one of the most common vehicle-related crimes, and it opens the door to more serious offences. Prevention is simple, cheap, and effective—but we need it to be universal.”
Neighbourhood Watch has teamed up with Victoria Police and RACV for Safe Plate Days, where volunteers help fit anti-theft screws for free. If you’ve missed one of those, the screws are easy to find at local auto shops, hardware stores, and servos. A few dollars now might save a few hundred later.
If your plates have already been nicked, the advice is simple: report it to police straight away—either at a local station, by calling 131 444, or lodging it online. Then head to VicRoads with your ID and apply for a fresh set of plates with new numbers. And this time, screw them in—properly.
RACV’s stance is clear. They want prevention baked into the system, not bolted on as an afterthought. They believe making anti-theft screws standard at the dealership level will shrink the opportunity for theft, lower police workloads, and save a lot of drivers a lot of grief.
The ask isn’t huge. It’s a small fix that can be implemented gradually, starting with standard plates. But the impact, they argue, could be huge—or at the very least, less annoying.
Because right now, your car might be parked safely in your driveway—and your number plates are doing 150 down the M80 in a stolen ute.
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