It's amazing what a little paint can do, but when a license plate is your canvas, it becomes a DIY registration scam.
Last month, Riverside County Sheriff's Department deputies cited a driver who took some creative liberties when renewing his vehicle registration.
Authorities discovered that the rear license plate of the vehicle had an orange rectangle painted in the upper right corner to match the color of this year's registration tag, with the year 2023 painted inside the box.
The Sheriff's Office said the traffic stop occurred on May 3 in the area of 2nd Street and Four Wheel Drive in the city of Norco.
“Do not drive the vehicle if you cannot AFFORD (or paint) the registration,” reads a post on the Norco Sheriff's Station Facebook page.
California's vehicle code provides for penalties of up to one year in prison for registration fraud; However, in this case the driver was cited for driving with a suspended license, no proof of insurance, and expired vehicle registration. The vehicle was also impounded and stored for a day, authorities said.
