Australian state Victoria will issue anti-theft number plates to stop people from stealing or cloning the plates.
The general-issue plates will feature a built-in hologram of a “VIC” logo, similar to the markings embedded on Australian bank notes.
Thieves will be unable to remove the hologram, making it harder for criminals to duplicate number plates or place them on another vehicle of the same make and model.
“We know that number-plate theft has been a growing problem in Victoria,” Police Minister Anthony Carbines said in a statement on Saturday.
“These new directional security markings add an additional layer of security that will stop theft and help reduce crime,” Carbines said.
The plates will be rolled out from Dec. 30 and the government expects about 430,000 to be issued each year.
There will be no extra cost to drivers who order standard-issue plates with the new security markings.
