MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Police in Memphis, Tennessee, are cracking down on fake temporary tags as they increase their crime-fighting efforts.
NewsNation affiliate WREG was the first to do a ride-along to see firsthand how this operation would get criminals off the street.
“I see them going to calls, while on calls, people drive away,” Lt. Brian Scott said. “I see them all the time and that’s what’s hindering us.”
Scott said the department is cracking down on people driving with illegal temporary tags, saying it can lead to more crime.
Not even 10 minutes into the ride, Scott had already spotted someone driving with fake temporary tags.
“We know he is in the general area and we’re setting up a perimeter so he can not get out,” Scott said.
WREG was there as officers moved in on the suspect and when police popped the car’s trunk, they found a stolen handgun and multiple fake paper tags.
The suspect was arrested and is now facing multiple felony charges.
Lt. Scott showed WREG how the police knew the tags were fake.
“See how this one is photo-copied, the seal is faded, like it’s very fuzzy,” Scott said.”
As the ride along continued, police stopped numerous people with fake tags and increasingly, those stops led to arrests.
One car that was stopped had been stolen back in 2020. It was painted blue but its original color was gray.
Lt. Scott told WREG that police had to change their methods when it came to finding stolen cars or dealing with other auto-related crimes because thieves went from stealing license plates to manufacturing fake temporary tags.
“One way to combat it is to use our probable cause in order to pull over the cars with the fake temp tags,” Scott said. “It’s a game. They get one up on us, we get one up on them.”
The Appling Station lieutenant says they’re getting proactive, not reactive.
“There is a reason behind that. You can see we did apprehend a number of fake temp tags and it seems to be working.”
And indeed it is.
The Memphis Shelby Crime Commission reported a 20% reduction in stolen vehicles.