Have you taken a good look at your license plate lately? (Do you even know your license plate number?) Many states issue vehicle license plates when you register your car, and then require that you buy the stickers that you must place on it, indicating that your vehicle is properly registered with the state vehicle licensing authority. You usually get two stickers - one indicating the month and the other the year that your registration expires. Let’s repeat that opening question: Have you taken a good look at your license plate lately? Are your stickers still there? No? Surprise! You’ve been unstuck!

Vehicle sticker theft is on the rise. Is it a crime perpetrated by juvenile delinquents with nothing better to do? Not usually, though it may sometimes be the case. Valid or unexpired registration stickers are usually stolen for a single purpose, and that is to put onto a stolen license plate so that it looks legitimate. Well, you wouldn’t expect a thief to order a sticker from the DMV for his stolen car, would ya? So where else is he going to get it from?

If your license plate sports these stickers, it behooves you to pay attention. Take a look from time to time and be sure it’s still stuck, and hasn’t been tampered with. The good news is they are usually not that easy to remove. The bad news is once it is removed, it’s your job to replace it and replace it quickly. If you’re stopped by a police officer for not having a valid registration, your failure to notice the theft may not be enough to avoid ticket.