Dodgy registration

Herzlos

DB1904 said:

Herzlos said:

It'll check each number against a live database, report it if there's some issue, or just throw it away (or archive it) if it's all clear.

So in theory a car should flag up seconds after being reported.

But a nonexistent plate will be thrown away. 

I'm not so sure. I'd assume a competently designed system would flag up the plates they fail to identify for someone to confirm if they are nonexistent, unreadable of foreign plates.

I'm pretty sure the ones in police cars won't just treat it like the car isn't there.

DB1904

Herzlos said:

DB1904 said:

Herzlos said:

It'll check each number against a live database, report it if there's some issue, or just throw it away (or archive it) if it's all clear.

So in theory a car should flag up seconds after being reported.

But a nonexistent plate will be thrown away. 

I'm not so sure. I'd assume a competently designed system would flag up the plates they fail to identify for someone to confirm if they are nonexistent, unreadable of foreign plates.

I'm pretty sure the ones in police cars won't just treat it like the car isn't there.

What do yo imagine it's comparing it to, to state the plate doesn't exist?

mgfvvc

DB1904 said:

What do yo imagine it's comparing it to, to state the plate doesn't exist?

At least that there is no MOT or insurance associated with that plate.

Grey_Critic

So a vehicle is parked on a road. It is declared SORN and the MOT expired 6 months ago.

It is reported multiple times  to DVLA - Police and Local Authority by at least 5 people one of whom is a retired Police Officer. A local councillor is informed and he also reports it to the council - 3 months later the owner decides to move the vehicle.

In all that time none of the various authorities did anything about it. And you think they are bothered about a dodgy number plate?

Car_54

Grey_Critic said:

So a vehicle is parked on a road. It is declared SORN and the MOT expired 6 months ago.

It is reported multiple times  to DVLA - Police and Local Authority by at least 5 people one of whom is a retired Police Officer. A local councillor is informed and he also reports it to the council - 3 months later the owner decides to move the vehicle.

In all that time none of the various authorities did anything about it. And you think they are bothered about a dodgy number plate?

How do you know that the police and/or DVLA hadn’t taken action?

Grey_Critic

The vehicle removed is still SORN and no MOT.

The Police may do you if they catch you on ANPR but do not, by their own admission do anything about them parked on the road as in this case.

DVLA usually clamp first and then tow away.

Local authority policy is they will write to the registered owner and give them 30 days to remove.

Herzlos

DB1904 said:

Herzlos said:

DB1904 said:

Herzlos said:

It'll check each number against a live database, report it if there's some issue, or just throw it away (or archive it) if it's all clear.

So in theory a car should flag up seconds after being reported.

But a nonexistent plate will be thrown away. 

I'm not so sure. I'd assume a competently designed system would flag up the plates they fail to identify for someone to confirm if they are nonexistent, unreadable of foreign plates.

I'm pretty sure the ones in police cars won't just treat it like the car isn't there.

What do yo imagine it's comparing it to, to state the plate doesn't exist?

It's comparing it to the main database and will flag up if there are no matches. It's completely trivial in a well specified system (not something I accuse the Government of, admittedly). Something like this:

status = do_anpr_lookup(plate);
if(status == invalid) {
flag();
}

I'd be stunned if a police car's ANPR system saw a plate that didn't exist and just pretended there was no car there. It should be smart enough to identify that it's on a car and not some random text on a wall.

Herzlos

Grey_Critic said:

In all that time none of the various authorities did anything about it. And you think they are bothered about a dodgy number plate?

In theory, a car with illegal plates is much higher priority/interest to the police than an abandoned car. The abandoned car is a nuisance but unlikely to be going anywhere, the illegal car is probably being used for other illegal activities.

However, it's also a matter of resources, given the police are grossly overloaded they may not get around to everything and a phantom car could be a pain to track down.

It's still worth reporting and leaving them to decide what to do with it.

DB1904

Herzlos said:

DB1904 said:

Herzlos said:

DB1904 said:

Herzlos said:

It'll check each number against a live database, report it if there's some issue, or just throw it away (or archive it) if it's all clear.

So in theory a car should flag up seconds after being reported.

But a nonexistent plate will be thrown away. 

I'm not so sure. I'd assume a competently designed system would flag up the plates they fail to identify for someone to confirm if they are nonexistent, unreadable of foreign plates.

I'm pretty sure the ones in police cars won't just treat it like the car isn't there.

What do yo imagine it's comparing it to, to state the plate doesn't exist?

It's comparing it to the main database and will flag up if there are no matches. It's completely trivial in a well specified system (not something I accuse the Government of, admittedly). Something like this:

status = do_anpr_lookup(plate);
if(status == invalid) {
flag();
}

I'd be stunned if a police car's ANPR system saw a plate that didn't exist and just pretended there was no car there. It should be smart enough to identify that it's on a car and not some random text on a wall.

But with the police there isn't a single main database. 

Mutton_Geoff

I reported suspicious behaviour to the police (two people in a car scoping out the tools & materials on my building site). I gave the police registration number but they told me I must have copied it down incorrectly as it didn't exist. I had accurately recorded it, checked on an insurance comparison website and the make/model showed correctly.

I called the police back when they told me this was a common occurrence. The car had been scrapped, the number removed from the police database but later cloned by the perps. They added it back to the ANPR system so it would be picked up at some point later.

The system isn't as clever as I thought and it's very easy then to drive around with invalid plates as these folk were. The problem seems to be those that like to pay scant regard to the law know the loopholes they can exploit. In the "old days" spot checks for a dodgy headlight/brake light etc, often resulted in other criminal activity being uncovered but nowadays there are very few police actually monitoring day to day stuff.