Number plates have been stolen from more than 12,000 vehicles across the West Midlands in the last three years, new figures show.

Stolen plates are often used on vehicles by criminals who do not want to be caught when committing a crime such as stealing fuel or if they want to disguise a stolen car.

Figures released by West Midlands Police under the Freedom of Information Act show the number of vehicles where registration plates were stolen from April 2008 to the end of March this year was 12,347.

Almost all of the crimes were listed as a theft from a motor vehicle, with 3,890 reported in 2008/2009, 3,718 in 2009/2010 and 4,613 listed in 2010/2011.

The figures also show that 32 licence plates were taken during burglaries, while one was taken during the course of an assault.

Forty sets of plates were stolen in the Walsall borough during a month-long crime spree in March while in February plates were sto-len from 14 cars in Sandwell in lest than a week. They were used on vehicles stealing fuel by driving off from a petrol station without paying.

Police have warned motorists to secure their number plates with anti-theft screws.

David Notley, from West Midlands Police Freedom of Information Unit, said in his response to the figures: "At many local events, West Midlands Police officers have given away anti-tamper screws to members of the public concerned about this problem."

Officers have also worked with car dealerships in Wolverhampton to try and make the plates more secure. The vehicle registration mark on a number plate is the key piece of information that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency use to look up keeper details on a vehicle record.

It costs motorists up to £30 to replace the plates that have been swiped from cars. It is an offence to display the wrong vehicle registration mark on a vehicle, with a maximum penalty of £1,000.