Watch Out For License Plate Thieves: Police

Fridley police say they have seen a recent increase in reports of stolen license plates. Authorities say you can help detour a potential theft by replacing your license plate screws with a bolt fastened by a flat washer and lock nut.

If done correctly, the bolts will just spin when a thief attempts to remove the plate with a screwdriver. The extra tools and effort needed to remove the plate will likely send the thief away, police say.

There are also a number of plate "safe lock" devices on the market designed for the same purpose.

Image via The Tire Zoo, Flickr, used under Creative Commons