LifestyleMotoringMotoring mishapsBBC Morning Live heard from an ex cop as people receiving letters over offences they didn't commit amid rise in cloning11:52, 09 Sep 2026Updated 15:09, 09 Sep 2026A BBC expert has explained the ‘really important’ photograph rule for if you receive a letter demanding payment of a motoring fine you know nothing about. BBC Morning Live heard from an expert as figures show number plate cloning has risen by 54% since the start of the decade.‌Appearing on the show today former detective Marc Cananur said last year there were 11,000 reports of number plate fraud - the highest in the last 5 years. He explained: “What is plate cloning? Essentially it’s vehicle theft. It’s taking that legitimate number plate and putting it onto a cloned vehicle. And they do that to the criminals so they can go and commit criminality, you know, whether that’s theft of petrol or some sort of speeding fine or something like that, just to avoid the fines that come with it, unfortunately.”‌Mr Canacur said that if someone is targeted then unfortunately they have to prove that it’s definitely not them who has been caught speeding, or committing some other road offence. And he said that taking pictures of the number plate itself can help - also if the person has a doorbell camera. But he added that even if the owner knows for sure that it’s not them, they should definitely not ignore the letter.‌He said: “The onus of responsibility to prove our innocence sits with us. So, guilty until proved innocent, unfortunately. But the headline message here is don’t ignore that letter. Don’t ignore any sort of contact. So, if you’ve received a letter talking about a parking fine, a bus lane fine, a speeding ticket, whatever that is, don’t ignore it because it can have serious consequences.“You might have bailiffs knocking at your door. You might, as I said earlier, have the police turning up asking for you to account for exactly why you were there.”‌Content cannot be displayed without consentAdvice on what to do if you get a letter saying you’ve committed a motoring offence - and you weren’t there:He said that first of all the person should report it to the police by calling 101 or visiting the police station. He said: “Explain the circumstances and get that reference number to explain why. Secondly, contact that organisation that have suggested you’ve been involved in this suspicious incident. Explain to them what’s happened. Ask them to potentially write off that penalty and give some provenance as to why it wasn’t your vehicle.”Article continues belowThe crucial factor is proof: “So, what evidence can we provide? We can provide CCTV of potentially somewhere you park at work. You can might have a doorbell camera. You can say, “Well, on that date where I was supposedly speeding down the M1, my car was parked on the drive gathering dust.“Whatever it is, just give that evidence to reassure them. That’s thing and one really important tip, take a photograph of your car because it might have fine grain detail differences on the number plate. It might have the supplier who issued it, whereas a cloned number plate will just be blank. It potentially won’t have the bolts that you stick onto the car. And finally, receive a notice of intended prosecution, the section 172, don’t ignore it because that’s the police asking you to account for the whereabouts of that vehicle. Don’t ignore it.”Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌BBCCCTVCCTV footageMotoring mishaps