Drivers of 'Gold' License Plate Cars Face New Crisis as Thefts Surge

In Armenia, a new revolt is brewing among drivers. A spate of thefts involving a new type of car robbery has begun, where unknown individuals are stealing license plates from vehicles. Moreover, both the front and rear license plates are being targeted.

Following the theft, criminals leave messages on the car's windshield and offer to communicate via Viber, demanding a substantial payment for the return of the stolen plates—fully aware that the traffic police, according to the law, do not restore two license plates at once. This means that drivers are forced to pay again, sometimes amounting to millions of dram, in case their own plates go missing.

Typically, drivers silently agree to pay the thieves, as the Armenian traffic police only restore one lost plate. For instance, if your car's license plate 30 LL 030 has been stolen, for which you previously participated in an auction and paid 300 or 400 thousand dram, and the thieves then demand 40-50 thousand dram, you would likely prefer to cooperate with the criminal because, according to the law, you cannot obtain the same plate again. Additionally, owning a 'gold' plate would require you to participate again in an auction and pay another 300-400 thousand dram.

Notably, incidents of license plate theft have become widespread in Armenia, and it seems that the police are doing nothing to uncover and prevent these crimes. It gives the impression that certain circles within the police are turning a blind eye while local thieves conduct business at the expense of drivers.