Why would someone photograph a licence plate?

[R6_kid:Me]

They can find out where the car is registered, and come round and steal it.

But alternatively, one of my artistic friends used to be obsessed with plates beginning with LZ, and collected hundreds of pictures of LZ's, and we all joined in too. She framed them and put them on the wall, must have been a hundred different cars beginning with LZ at least.
Here's what they said when we found one for her: "Thanks!! Oooh, a three digit, thats rare!!! Did you get a picture of the whole car? we like pictures with the whole car. But thank you for that none the less. they are scarce in wellington region, it is a commendable effort to have found one!"

HEH! And here i was thinking you were a bit wierd!

[AllanB]

Probably trying to find out where you wife lives so he can do weird things with baby oil, fried chicken and a latex glove

Or possibly LZR924 spells 'penis' in another language

Must be a joke here somewhere about him accidentally rear-ending her

Sorry, its late

[Will]

I always take photos of cars parked next to me in carparks. Esp if it looks like a bag of shit. That way, if there's a dent in my car when I get back to it, I've got a fighting chance of knowing who did it.

Same here. Especially if they are parked funny

[ambler]

Yes, but the 4 number ones are so much more common... there are 9999 of them, so its comparatively rare

actually 9000 i think

[Sanx]

actually 9000 i think

Ah, another pedant. I was going to post that too. And for the record, there'd only be 900 three digit ones.

[klingon]

My wife was walking back to her car and saw a guy with a cellphone taking a photo of her numberplate. He walked off before she could ask him about it. The car is rare-ish but not exotic, not a classic and not what I would consider a car desirable to car thieves.

Why? And why do they blur out number plates on the telly, when you could see those plates in real life? Is this something I should be concerned about, or is he probably into the same sorts of cars as my wife's?

Hmm. I find that a bit creepy. It may be completely innocent, but there's no way of knowing. He could use the number to trace the car - and then of course he could trace your wife.

My sister and I were followed recently (in her car) and it has made me a little more cautious and aware of who is around me. Without being paranoid, I would suggest your wife keeps a general lookout for this guy in case she sees him hanging around.

[Usarka]

If you have a camera on your cell phone take a photo of them.....

[Usarka]

If you have a camera on your cell phone take a photo of them.....

I often follow people in the car just to make them paranoid.....

[Angusdog]

This is the car in question. It now has very cool mags (12" so they won't fit anything apart from a Mini) and flares, but not exactly a boy racer or classic car. I must admit, every day, my wife gets compliments on her car and it is a hoot to drive.

[jonbuoy]

something like $2 at a postshop will give you the details of the owner... including, i think, address. plates are blurred so people cant track the rich and famous, or ID the car as a wealthy/important persons and cause damage [like many of us would like to do to uncle helens, or transits boss.]

Its ridiculously easy here to trace people through their numberplates.

[Finn]

Its ridiculously easy here to trace people through their numberplates.

That's why my vehicles are registered to a P.O. Box number in a company name. Even the police have trouble sending me tickets.

Catch me if you can.

[jrandom]

That's why my vehicles are registered to a P.O. Box number in a company name.

Wot the dwarf said.

[Steam]

actually 9000 i think

Ah, another pedant. I was going to post that too. And for the record, there'd only be 900 three digit ones.

What?!?! The universe spins beneath my feet! Everything I knew is wrong!
Wouldn't it start at
LZ000,
LZ001,
LZ002,
.... to LZ999

That's 999, right?

[Winter]

I take photos of cars parked next to me, incase my car is dented while im away shopping.

I've been known to take photos of plates of cars acting suspect,

And if I were to make a complaint about somebodys parking (theyd have to be blocking my driveway or something terrible) I'd take a photo of the plate and the whole car.

Plenty of legit reasons, I wouldn't worry too much.
OTOH, Get a pobox, and put that as the address for the vehicles.
I know your not allowed to do it, but it can be done and does protect your cars that little bit more.

[xwhatsit]

When I was attending secondary school, went out with some friends to a coffee shop. This was Queensland; they have funny number plates over there, and personalised ones must either fit to the normal scheme (i.e. three numbers then three letters) or you pay ridiculous amounts of money for a completely personal one, and then it's still subject to many restrictions. That's why we were very amused when we saw a Saab parked with the number plate `1MAO' or somesuch (lmao)... damn geeks... took photos with camera phone and pissed off.

Perhaps your number plate is very amusing to a geek for some reason

Also, it is an interesting car. I know it's not super-exotic, but neither are CB250RSs, and I've taken a couple of photos of particularly modified 250RSs (including the number plate), because that's my thing. Perhaps his thing is Mini estate wagons.