Both my number plates stolen

[DrYazz]

Some mischievous, Austrian thieving w&nker has stolen both my numberplates. Last night between midnight and 7am in a quiet district not too far from Vienna's city centre. I have reported this to the local police station, who charged me 13.20 EUR for the privilege.

The car is English registered, right-hand drive. A standard UK car.

Luckily, they did not damage the car whilst removing the plates.

I must drive back to the UK on the 28th and 29th of this month, May. Likely route is via Salzburg, towards München through Germany past Stuttgart, enter France and spend the night in Strasbourg. Head north into Luxembourg, then into Belgium to meet some friends in Bruxelles before heading back into France to catch a ship from Calais. 5 countries.

So, driving a car without number plates, being through Austria, Germany, France, Luxembourg and Belgium? Not a good idea, I think.

As we speak, I am making arrangements to contact my insurance company and breakdown recovery service.

Is there any advice on what I should do? <as you can imagine, this has spoiled the extended weekend we have here>.

Thanks, much.

[dougc]

http://www.fancyplates.com/

[Dave^]

Buy some showplates from Ebay and get them delivered to you over there... They may even be a trader near you who can do UK plates...

Cheaper than telling your insurance no doubt...

You can get ones which are legal looking, until you get really close up, so I doubt anyone would give them a second glance...

[Munter]

My plan if you had the time/contacts.

Find a local sign making company. Get them to make up some stickers that look like UK plates. (Take crime report along to make sure they don't think you're doing anything wrong). Stick them where the plates should be. Drive car.

[aka_kerrly]

I guess it is the same principle that foreign cars in the UK are invisible to speed cameras/congestion charges hence foreign plated cars commanding a premium price in some areas...

i had my number plates stolen (in the uk) a few years back and had to pretty much force the police to make a note of it becuase i didnt want a clone of my car getting me in trouble.

dave

[Risotto]

DrYazz said:

As we speak, I am making arrangements to contact my insurance company and breakdown recovery service.

As others have said - just buy some more over the internet and have them delivered to you.

What car are we talking about? If it's the 355 in your profile, I wouldn't worry - the chances of the plates ending up on the same make/model are pretty slim. If they're stuck on a Ford Focus and used fraudulently, proving your innocence should be a straightforward matter.

Edited by Risotto on Friday 14th May 10:10

[DrYazz]

Risotto said:

DrYazz said:

As we speak, I am making arrangements to contact my insurance company and breakdown recovery service.

As others have said - just buy some more over the internet and have them delivered to you.

What car are we talking about? If it's the 355 in your profile, I wouldn't worry - the chances of the plates ending up on the same make/model are pretty slim. If they're stuck on a Ford Focus and used fraudulently, proving your innocence should be a straightforward matter.

Whenever I have had plates made up in the UK, the V5 document is mandatory. Which I have, of course. I will certainly look into it, but this seems all rather unregulated and open to copious abuse?

Edited by Risotto on Friday 14th May 10:10

[Dave^]

Plates bought over the internet don't have the BS number/kitemark so aren't strictly legal, but as the BS number and kitemark are usually very hard to see anyway, even close up, there's nothing to really worry about until MOT time...

[Munter]

DrYazz said:

Risotto said:

DrYazz said:

As we speak, I am making arrangements to contact my insurance company and breakdown recovery service.

As others have said - just buy some more over the internet and have them delivered to you.

What car are we talking about? If it's the 355 in your profile, I wouldn't worry - the chances of the plates ending up on the same make/model are pretty slim. If they're stuck on a Ford Focus and used fraudulently, proving your innocence should be a straightforward matter.

Edited by Risotto on Friday 14th May 10:10

Whenever I have had plates made up in the UK, the V5 document is mandatory. Which I have, of course. I will certainly look into it, but this seems all rather unregulated and open to copious abuse?

Yes it is. Very open to abuse. But convenient

[5potTurbo]

Munter said:

My plan if you had the time/contacts.

Find a local sign making company. Get them to make up some stickers that look like UK plates. (Take crime report along to make sure they don't think you're doing anything wrong). Stick them where the plates should be. Drive car.

This is a good solution to the problem - easier than getting plates sent/couriered from Blighty.
You can't drive without any plates at all, and local plates in all the countries you mentioned wouldn't be suitable since the country's ID is contained within the plates, but isn't a requirement for GB registered cars.

[Gareth79]

The proper method would be for somebody to pick up your V5 from your house and have a set made and then post them to you, but as mentioned fancyplates or perhaps http://www.craigsplates.com/ should be able to ship them direct if you explain the problem - normally only "show plates" are made and shipped from outside the UK without a V5 but I'm sure they should all be able to make road-legal ones you can use permanently.

[agentsmith]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

this guy was blindingly quick for me. Suggest you buy the plates, and have him hand them to a courier you book using parcel2go.com. they do a 3day fedex or dhl service.

[DrYazz]

Thanks for the replies. It has helped the early morning panic. Hope to get this resolved very early next week.
The Austrian Polizei have given me 1 week to put some new plates on.

[OnTheOverrun]

DrYazz said:

I have reported this to the local police station, who charged me 13.20 EUR for the privilege.

They charged you a tenner to report a crime? Must be bloody difficult to report having had your wallet stolen in Austria!

I think you should steal the number plates off a police car and drive back on them - it's the least they owe you.

[DrYazz]

OnTheOverrun said:

DrYazz said:

I have reported this to the local police station, who charged me 13.20 EUR for the privilege.

They charged you a tenner to report a crime? Must be bloody difficult to report having had your wallet stolen in Austria!

I think you should steal the number plates off a police car and drive back on them - it's the least they owe you.

To be fair on the Österreciher Polizei, I think the €13.20 charge is mostly for permission to drive around their beautiful country for a week, without number plates. The Ferrari does look rather good without them..........

Edited by DrYazz on Friday 14th May 16:33

[fatbaldbloke]

Dave^ said:

Plates bought over the internet don't have the BS number/kitemark so aren't strictly legal, but as the BS number and kitemark are usually very hard to see anyway, even close up, there's nothing to really worry about until MOT time...

On a car registered before the new rules about postcodes etc on plates, even that shouldn't be an issue. I've run a few cars with not strictly legal 'showplates' and as they were the correct font (they just had silly messages on) I've never had an issue with MOTs etc. The online people are generally cheaper than the 'official' places too. Come to think of it, the rear plate on my current daily driver was bought online.

[beanbag]

I had no idea you were on VE too (also posted there)....fancy meeting at 1516 for a beer on Sunday?

Edited by beanbag on Friday 14th May 15:53

[Munter]

DrYazz said:

Yazz thats one hell of a paint job!

[DrYazz]

beanbag said:

I had no idea you were on VE too (also posted there)....fancy meeting at 1516 for a beer on Sunday?

Edited by beanbag on Friday 14th May 15:53

UPDATE - I have got my brother to dig out the old set of plates from the garage (devoid of the GB/Euro border emblem and post them to me. A GB sticker can be sourced from Austria, I am certain.

1516 is on the Krugerstraße right, 1st Bezirk? Any chance that they would be showing the 20-20 cricket final in there? I am pretty sure ORF1 do not have the broadcasting rights.

Edited by DrYazz on Saturday 15th May 09:33

[redstu]

Dave^ said:

Plates bought over the internet don't have the BS number/kitemark so aren't strictly legal, but as the BS number and kitemark are usually very hard to see anyway, even close up, there's nothing to really worry about until MOT time...

my car was registered in 2000 so i believe that it doesn't require postcode or bs number,so I specifically requested that when ordered (from eBay), the font is correct so no problems there, now whether they meet the correct reflective spec I've no idea, but it's never been questioned.
The eu flag is also black rather than blue which just looks better!