1:30AM CDT, my phone rings. I've been laying in bed, not sleeping, but thinking pleasant thoughts. Ok, I was drifting off to sleep with weather-related thoughts dancing in my head. "Caller ID Unavailable" says the phone, and my brain flicks to life, callously listing the unpleasant news that follows calls in the dead of night. I answer and hear the voice of the policeman who patrols our apartment complex after-hours.
They started patrols last year because of car break-ins/thefts. The officer says, "I couldn't remember your apartment number until I got back to the station, but someone stole your license plate. I can slide it under your door, but if you could, I need a written statement from you." Not a problem, I throw on clothes and drive down to the station. I write a statement out, sign it, and get my plate back (sans screws ). The whole process took, oh, 30 minutes. Slow night, in the tiny hamlet of Mission, Kansas. I've known this officer since last year; I've had the opportunity to talk to him more than once when he wanders the hallways.
I guess the theiving moron is denying he took my plate, despite being busted with it. I may get to testify in court, but personally, I don't think that's likely. I'm parking on the opposite side of my apartment complex, just in case Mr. Stupid decides to get out on bail tonight and extract revenge. I've always parked in the same spot, but for the next week, I'll play switcheroo.
Posted by screechowl (Member # 2651) on :
So, this is what people in your neighborhood do for fun?
Lucky that they caught the thief. Years ago my sister's car was sitting at a repair shop and someone switched their plates with hers. Then, those who switched the plates had a chase w/ police and totaled the car they were in.
So late at night the police come knocking to tell my mother that my sister has been in an accident and is injured or somthing.
Took a while to get it all straightened out.
Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
Someone you knew?
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
<--- uses a motor scooter that's below the legal motorcycle limit and thus doesn't need a license plate.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Depends on where you live, too. I know that here in Ma, and in MI where I use to live, that mopeds still have to have a plate. It is still a motor vehicle....i.e. motorized.
You have to wear a helmet too.
Kwea
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
In Indiana they won't give you plates unless its 50cc plus or has more than 2 braking horsepower. Otherwise as far as they're concerned its a motorized bicycle.
And I always wear my helmet; for one thing, if I didn't I would freeze to death .
[ February 01, 2005, 08:31 AM: Message edited by: fugu13 ]
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
I had my license plate stolen, but I found out when I was pulled over for not having plates. No idea how long I'd been driving around that way. Of course, I had to pay all the necessary fees to get replacement ones.
The guy who stole them was caught a few weeks later. So he gets sent to jail. But does he have to actually compensate me for the financial outlay he caused me? Nooooo...
Yeah, I know, it's not much, but still. They caught the guy. Make him pay.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Years ago I had a license plate stolen off my '60 Chevy Apache pickup, and it was a personalized plate! A Personalized Plate! Why in the heck would someone take that? (except that it did have current registration stickers...)
Anyway, what really made me mad was that I couldn't order a new personalized plate with that same message on it for a couple years, since they didn't know what had happened to the original - they didn't want to reproduce it and risk having two out there the same.
(no long has personalized plate - too expensive) Farmgirl
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
We had a bit of fun with this type of thing in high school. The first time it happened to a car I was in (I had no car of my own), we were at a stoplight being followed by a couple friends, who wound up right behind us. The light turned green, we left and pulled into Perkins, met up with our friends, and were handed the rear license plate from the car. They had apparently taken the plate at the red light, and we hadn't noticed a thing.
The time I was involved with the "capture" was when the Math Academic Team decided to crash the Social Studies Team pizza party at a local pizzeria. We got to the parking lot, found the same car as the last time, and took the rear plate. It made quite a sight watching their faces when we nonchalantly handed our friend his license plate.
I suppose this is the time to mention that we had a slightly overdeveloped case of kleptomania... Posted by Paul Goldner (Member # 1910) on :
My license plate fell off my car when I was about 20. I got home from a party one night and realized it was gone. I drove back over where I had been the last couple days, and didn't see it. Fortunately, a police officer had found it, so my call to the police station produced results. I am not sure why they hadn't called me, however.
Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
Supposedly, it is someone I know. I'll probably recognize him, given the description (I didn't get to see him). I'm not entirely sure, as there are a couple hundred people living in this complex.
Yeah, the registration on my plate is Sept. I don't know why he didn't grab one of those new January tags that just went up.
Posted by screechowl (Member # 2651) on :
I don't need to tell you to watch you back, right?
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
"Caller ID Unavailable" says the phone, and my brain flicks to life, callously listing the unpleasant news that follows calls in the dead of night. I answer and hear the voice of the policeman who patrols our apartment complex after-hours. ![[Grumble]](graemlins/grumble.gif)
). The whole process took, oh, 30 minutes. Slow night, in the tiny hamlet of Mission, Kansas. I've known this officer since last year; I've had the opportunity to talk to him more than once when he wanders the hallways.![[Wall Bash]](graemlins/wallbash.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)