Two teenage boys were seen taking number plates of multiple cars in Hillsborough.
At 11am last Thursday, two teenage boys were caught taking off number plates of cars on Leppings Lane, Hillsborough in Sheffield.
The two lads were caught on the ring doorbell of Jake Hawthorn, 21, from Hillsborough, who was “absolutely furious” after seeing that they had taken the licence plates of his BMW which was parked on the road outside of his home.
Mr Hawthorne said: “I am pretty sure it’s been targeted as they have been seen around the area before. They were acting a little suspicious the first time we had seen them, and we were cautious of them, then.”
Susan Firth, 54, also of Hillsborough, said: “They had taken the licence plates off my black Corsa, which was parked on the road directly outside our house.
“My husband said he had seen them two boys before hanging about, but we thought they were just little kids so they wouldn’t do any harm.”
The teens were seen walking around the streets of Hillsborough with scooters.
Mr Hawthorn said “I am really annoyed. Licence plates are for cars, they are not for little boys on scooters.”
The Hillsborough community has been cautious and on the lookout since the incidents.
Number plate theft is on the rise, with more than 53,000 stolen in the UK in the last year.
Mr Hawthorn added: “I’m not sure how many other people this has happened to, but they seemed to be carrying multiple number plates.
“So if it has happened to someone else in the S6 community, speak up and then we might be able to get them caught.”
Mrs Firth said: “We have contacted the police to see if there is anything they can do to help find the boys and the plates. We are aware we are not the only victims of the plate robberies.
“So, hopefully the police will track the boys down and the plates returned to all of us who have had them taken.”
South Yorkshire Police were contacted for comment, but have not yet responded.