MONTICELLO- According to police the number of ghost cars on the road, which are vehicles with missing or illegible license plates, is on the rise. Law enforcement officials say there are some clever tactics that drivers are using to disguise their plates from red light cameras, speed cameras, and toll cameras which is costing New York State millions of dollars each year in lost revenue.
Police say the number of people making counterfeit temporary paper plates is on the rise. Many fraudsters are using a liquid solution to dissolve the laminate on a license plate so that the numbers are not visible and some bend the corners of the plates so they cannot be read. Police have also come across vehicles that have a reflective plastic cover over their tag and have even found automated devices installed on vehicles that flip the plate so it is not visible when travelling through a toll booth.
Last March, Governor Kathy Hochul issued a warning to drivers who were attempting to hide the vehicle’s license plates.
Ghost cars are a problem for law enforcement because if the vehicle is used in the commission of a crime the vehicle can be very difficult to track. Sullivan County Undersheriff Eric Chaboty says that law enforcement will be on the lookout for ghost cars and summonses will be issued.
“The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies will ramp up enforcement this summer,” he said.
For his part, State Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) Commissioner Mark Schroeder encouraged drivers who have peeling or illegible plates to have them replaced by the DMV at no charge.
“We encourage New Yorkers who have peeling license plates to get new ones without any charge to avoid the risk of being ticketed and having to pay a fine,” he said.
