‘Slim’ trick is a costly offense
In Amsterdam, the police are increasingly encountering a trick to avoid a parking fine. However, the police warn that it can actually result in a huge fine.
In Amsterdam (but also in many other places in the country), scan cars automatically check whether you have paid for your parking space. A neighborhood police officer from Amsterdam says on Instagram, according to AT5, that he is increasingly encountering taped-over license plates. This is intended to prevent a parking fine. That can be effective, because the scan cars cannot scan a license plate in this way and therefore cannot issue a fine, but if the taped-over license plate is spotted by an officer, you could be in serious trouble.
The officer warns that covering up a license plate is a criminal offense: “In the event of a crime, we as the police have an investigative power. When the owner of the vehicle hears that covering up is a criminal offense, they are shocked when confronted. Especially when they hear what the costs are for that; a maximum of €10,300.”
Previously, a fine of €150 was reported for covering or modifying a license plate to mislead the scan cars. A very different amount than €10,000, and that last one is also a maximum. Whether you will actually receive such a fine in practice is therefore questionable. In any case, it is clear that you should always just pay your parking fees properly.