Thousands of illegal ghost plates on cars revealed by new cameras
Illegal registration plates are far too easy to get hold of and are putting the public at risk, BBC is told.
Thousands of illegal ghost and cloned number plates have been identified by a new camera system being tested on motorways in southeastern England, according to BBC Panorama. These modified plates evade Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems, which are employed to enforce speed limits, low emission zones, and track criminals.
The system, which comprises 14,000 sites capturing 100 million number plates daily, is struggling to keep up with the tactics employed by certain drivers intent on evading detection. Illegal plates are a significant risk to public safety and are readily available, according to a former government advisor. Families have lost loved ones in road accidents where illegal plates were involved.
Panorama also uncovered how straightforward and inexpensive it is to acquire plates without undergoing any background checks. The minister overseeing vehicle registration throughout the UK has announced the implementation of a national plan to determine the extent of the illegal number plate issue and address it. The UK possesses one of the most extensive ANPR camera networks globally.
Despite its effectiveness against some drivers, experts believe the system is being outmaneuvered by those determined to avoid recognition. Cloned and ghost plates enable drivers to evade the police's ability to track organized criminals, contends Tony Porter, a former senior counter-terrorism officer who has provided government advice on surveillance cameras.
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