Winning the crime battle

Winning the battle against car crime

Traditional license plates are easy to change or deface. A more effective method of vehicle identification, now being deployed, uses tamper-evident stickers that make it much harder for criminals to avoid detection

Words | Dr Kai Schnapauff, Schreiner PrinTrust, Germany

Vehicles without proper registration cause heavy damage worldwide, from tax shortfalls and car theft, all the way to increased risk of terrorist attacks. Every year, more than two million motor vehicle thefts are registered in Europe alone. Therefore, effective solutions that help to deter thieves and quickly solve car crimes are called for.

As a complement to the conventional metal license plates at the front and rear of a car, the Third License Plate from Schreiner PrinTrust can be attached to the inside of any vehicle’s windshield. Exterior license plates can easily be stolen, copied and illegally reused. As this is not possible with a security label located in a vehicle’s interior, the label provides tamper-proof evidence of registration. The self-adhesive label, which is about the size of a credit card, is provided with the vehicle data issued by the licensing authority. Sophisticated security features, which can be individually enhanced, protect the seal against tampering and theft. RFID (radio frequency identification) functionality for contactless data reading can also be included within the sticker itself.

The stickers are supplied as single pieces, or on a perforated strip, which means they can be easily be separated and dispensed. The license plate number is subsequently written on the sticker, which is then stuck to the inside of the windshield. The sticker can be provided with one-color reverse side printing, thus serving as an advertising medium, a receipt, or containing instructions for use. Depending on the method of inscription, the following designs are available:

The Third License Plate is permanently adhering, UV- and temperature-resistant, and takes up very little space on a windshield

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1. Stickers for subsequent inscription by thermal transfer printing

Registration authorities use thermal transfer printers to individualize Third License Plates by printing the license plate number on the inscription field. Any attempt to remove the Third License Plate will destroy the base label with the pre-printed data.

2. Two-component solution

The product consists of a security base label and a corresponding transfer adhesive label. This special compound offers an even higher security level and guarantees that, in the event of tampering, all data is destroyed.

3. Third License Plate with RFID functionality

This sophisticated version of the Third License Plate contains a secure passive transponder. Besides registration data, individual data can be stored on the chip and read without contact. Different HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF (868/915 MHz) designs are available. Combinations with applications such as parking or road toll payment are also possible. n

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RFID and Security Labels

On-Street Parking — Off-Street Parking Toll Collection — 3rd License Plate

Customized Solutions for Your Needs

Hidden void text

Security slits for tamper evidence UHF RFID high security chip with encryption (chip and data transfer)

170705001

Hologram stripe

Numerical code for serialization

Datamatrix code for serialization Customized design

Color-shifting inks for counterfeiting protection

* For your specific requirements please contact us!

Schreiner PrinTrust, a business unit of Schreiner Group GmbH & Co. KG Bruckmannring 22 · 85764 Oberschleissheim · Germany info@schreiner-printrust.com · www.schreiner-printrust.com