A driver in Ontario has been charged after police discovered a device on their vehicle that conceals the license plate with just a push of a button.
According to Halton police, an officer spotted a black Porsche Panamera 4S in Milton that appeared to be driving without a license plate this weekend.
With just a push of a button, these Ontario drivers can block their license plates, police said. (Halton Police)“The vehicle was missing its front license plate,” Const. Christopher McCullough told CTV News Toronto. “As the Porsche passed the police vehicle [..] we saw the rear plate was missing. Well, we thought it was missing at the time.”
But when the officer looked closely, he realized the driver was using a license plate concealing device.
A tweetreleased by police on Sunday, shows what appears to be a black retractable cover that blocks the license plate from view.
The license plate can be concealed by pressing a button in the driver’s seat, police said.
Police confirmed the driver was given two $110 tickets – one for having an obstructed plate, and the other for appearing to not have a license plate – and could face additional charges if they were using the device to avoid paying tolls.
A spokesperson for the 407 ETR told CTV News Toronto toll evasion is something it takes “very seriously.”
“We work to track and pursue toll evaders to the full extent of the law,” the statement reads.
According to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, it is illegal for any driver to obstruct their license plate.
“The entire number plate, including the numbers, is plainly visible at all times, and the view of the number plate shall not be obscured or obstructed by spare tires, bumper bars, any part of the vehicle, any attachments to the vehicle or the load carried.”
Obstructing license plates also make it nearly impossible for speed, red light and Highway 407 toll cameras to issue fines and fees.
With files from CTV News Toronto’s Pat Foran