New Brunswick's removal of front licence plates may have made solving crimes harder

Local police and businesses say the 2019 move to stop issuing front licence plates has sometimes prevented vehicle identification in investigations, while the provincial government says it has not found data showing reduced police effectiveness.

A recent theft of a historic church bell in Fredericton highlighted that a security camera captured only the front of a pickup truck, without a licence plate, complicating the investigation. Businesses in the Hanwell area report repeated thefts where front-facing camera footage did not show plates. The province removed front licence plates in 2019, and the current government says it has not found data showing the change reduced police effectiveness. Police leaders and some businesses continue to report anecdotal cases where a front plate would have aided identification. Key details: - A Fredericton church bell was stolen and footage showed only the front of a pickup truck without a plate. - Hanwell businesses report multiple thefts where front-facing video did not capture licence plates. - New Brunswick ended the use of front licence plates in 2019; only a few Canadian provinces still require them. - The provincial government says it could not find data showing front-plate removal reduced police effectiveness, while police chiefs have raised anecdotal concerns. Summary: Local police and some businesses say removing front plates has made identifying vehicles harder in particular cases, while the government reports no data showing a broader loss of police effectiveness. Undetermined at this time.