Nassau County institutes checkpoints to crack down on drivers with fake and stolen license plates
NASSAU COUNTY, N.Y. -- There has been a surge in fake and stolen license plates and many of the cars evading detection are driven by criminals making fast getaways.
As CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported, there are new efforts on Long Island to stop thieves in their tracks.
Drivers moving along Merrick Avenue near Eisenhower Park found themselves part of a safety crackdown on Wednesday -- unexpected spot checks.
"We're going to continue to arrest and take the bad drivers off the road," Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said.
Ryder said checkpoints will be a part of the holiday season.
"We are approaching the time of year when people are going out, they're spending money. They are shopping. They have gifts. There will be a lot of cars on the road, so we're stepping it up a little bit," County Executive Bruce Blakeman said.
"Operation Safety" is underway due to stolen license plates, such as one that was on the getaway car used by the driver in the robbery of a North Shore family in their driveway last weekend, and the couple charged tens of thousands in fees after their license plate was stolen.
Also part of the criminal trend, say police, are fake paper dealer plates.
"What they do is they make copies of it and then they sell it to each other online," Ryder said.
And obstructed license plates, which are "meant to fool, again, the license plate readers and our red light cameras," Ryder said.
And defaced license plates.
"Even though it looks right to you, when it goes through the camera system, we can't pick it up," Ryder said.
Within minutes Wednesday, police found multiple violations with uninspected, uninsured, and unregistered cars, and many with illegally tinted windows.
Some drivers McLogan spoke to said they liked the idea of the spot checks, while others called them a money grab.
Nassau County Police say last year 400 guns were confiscated from car stops, 73,000 summonses were issued, and 1,045 fraudulent plates were detected.
"Honestly, I see craziness on the road every day," one person said.
Scofflaws with tinted windows and fake plates who evade license plate readers and red light cameras are being targeted in this holiday crackdown.
