Police cadets have been helping police clamp down on licence plate theft in Barking and Dagenham with a series of operations in the borough.
Cadets have been parked by the road side asking cars if they would like a sticker saying “no valuables” as deterrent, along with other warnings to thieves.
Bobby Hicks, 18, a cadet instructor with Barking and Dagenham who helps train-up junior cadets aged 10 to 13, said cases of plates being stolen are more and more common.
He said: “Licence plate theft is certainly a big problem at the moment.
“They steal the licence plates and then commit crimes like petrol theft and robbery.”
Bobby lives in Mark’s Gate, but used to live near Sidney Russell School in Dagenham and still works with the cadet branch he joined.
It’s hoped that making people aware of the danger will limit the number of cases of licence plate theft which can lead to other crimes being committed.
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