Drivers are being advised to use a £2 kit to secure their registration plates following a spate of thefts including three in Kingsbury.

The same gang are believed to be behind number plates snatched in Rookery Way, where a black Audi A3, a blue Ford Fiesta and a Citroën C4 were targeted on March 18 and 19.

A further two thefts occurred in Hendon and Mill Hill and an unsuccessful attempt took place in Golders Green on March 23.

The gang could go on to use the plates to commit a string of offences including driving away from petrol stations without paying, avoiding the London congestion charge, evading speed camera and red-light traffic camera fines, avoiding police recognition systems of out-of-date insurance or MOT and more serious crimes.

Sergeant Jane Tuffin, investigating officer, said: “Thieves only need one minute to steal number plates. Luckily, there is a simple solution as there are various types of anti theft number-plate fixers which are available for as little as £2 per set. They are available from most motoring supplier centres and these fixers frustrate the theft as they require a specific tool to remove the plates and take longer to remove.

“This simple step can save motorists time and money in reporting the theft, obtaining new plates and dealing with the issues that arise from any potential subsequent unlawful use of the stolen plates.”