The LA County Sheriff's Department Crescenta Valley Station is investigating several incidents of license plate swapping.
The station began noticing that routine license plate checks returned as reported stolen vehicles. As deputies initiated a traffic stops on those vehicles they would find that those vehicles were not stolen. This led them to believe that the original license plates had been swapped.
Police say that the individuals who are swapping the clean license plates are placing them on a stolen vehicles that appear to be of similar make and model.
Most of the drivers being stopped by police are unaware that their license plates have been switched.
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
The Crescenta Valley Station is asking drivers to check their license plates on a routine basis. If someone notices their plate has been swapped or stolen they should report it immediately. They also encourage the public to report any suspicious activity or if they see someone trying to swap a license plate.
