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People putting their used cars up for sale have been advised to ensure their number plates are not visible in their advertisements.
According to Staffordshire police, used cars appearing in the local press, magazines and on the internet often have their registration plates on display, potentially placing their owners at risk.
While many honest buyers use such publications to carry out a Used Car Search, the force warned that criminals will look at an advertisement and steal cars that match the make and model before cloning its number plates.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Hurst said: "I would urge motorists that if they are advertising their vehicle to please ensure the number plate is blacked out on the photograph."
Evidence suggests that criminals use cloned number plates to commit crimes, while their cars can pick up parking fines and speeding tickets.
Consequently, the "genuine owners" may end up receiving correspondence regarding these offences, Mr Hurst warned.
In West Yorkshire, Steve Blakely, Neighbourhood Watch Liaison Officer for Dewsbury, recently said that the theft of number plates "continues to be a problem" as criminals use them to hide the identity of their vehicles.
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