At a time when Bogota is suffering a wave of crimes carried out with motorcycles, such as contract killings and fleteos, and even merchants from different sectors have been reporting that people on motorcycles are taking photographs of their establishments perhaps to extort them later, city authorities issued a warning that further worries citizens: motorcycles are circulating without a visible license plate or with alterations in their identification.
The District Secretariat of Security, Coexistence and Justice (SDSCJ) stated that this is a practice that has begun to be classified as an alert signal in terms of security. This situation that has been repeating on the streets is also connected with criminal behaviors. That is, it is directly associated with the commission of crimes.
This has been verified by authorities, since in different operations and analyses of criminal behavior it has been identified that motorcyclists involved in robberies use mechanisms to hide or modify the vehicle’s license plate, which makes their subsequent tracking difficult and reduces the possibility that they will be brought before judicial authorities.
Methods used by criminals to alter plates
The District Secretariat of Security explained that criminals use different methods to hide the vehicle’s identification. They use tapes and plastics with the purpose of altering or hiding plate data, and even install mechanisms on motorcycles that allow raising or covering the plate at specific moments, especially before or after committing a robbery. This manipulation is not permanent, but occasional, for the commission of each crime.
The agency in charge of security in Bogota also identified a pattern that criminals follow in public space, and that can help citizens defend themselves and alert authorities in a timely manner.
Motorcycles without a visible plate or with altered plates usually circulate in areas of high flow or congestion, where approaching the victim can be done quickly and without raising immediate suspicion. In the execution of the crime, the element of surprise predominates and it is carried out in a matter of very few seconds.
Then comes the immediate escape of the offender. The combination of circumstances in which the crime is committed reduces the capacity of authorities to react and opens the door wide to impunity.
With the aim of reducing the chances of success for criminals, the District Secretariat of Security provided citizens with several recommendations, such as verifying the visibility of the plate, keeping distance from suspicious motorcycles and avoiding distractions such as the use of cell phones in public space.
It also advises citizens to pay close attention to the color of the motorcycle, characteristics of its occupants, remember the point where the abnormal behavior was observed, the direction of movement of the suspects and not forget some visible details of the plate that raise doubts.
Circulating without a visible plate or with alterations constitutes a traffic infraction that can result in fines of up to 322,070 pesos (US$ 89), immobilization of the vehicle and even aggravating factors in criminal proceedings when it is linked to the commission of crimes.
“A motorcycle without a visible plate or with an altered plate is an alert signal. It is not normal behavior and may be associated with the commission of crimes,” reiterated Cesar Restrepo, Secretary of Security of Bogota.