'Out of a 007 movie': Police pull over Mercedes equipped with license-plate flipper in OC burglaries

[discocrisco01]

Source: ABC7

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- Irvine police located and pulled over a
Mercedes-Benz sedan that was possibly involved in a series of vehicle
burglaries -- and unexpectedly discovered a spy-type device that
flipped the license plate.
A man and a woman were arrested in the case, suspected of using the
car that authorities described as "something out of a 007 movie."

The Irvine Police Department on Wednesday released a video clip that
shows how the license-plate flipper on the white 2003 Mercedes C300
operates -- at the push of a button.
"Having it be sophisticated in that way, I've never seen that," police
Sgt. Karie Davies told ABC7. "The license-plate flipping device,
that's a new one. In 19 years I've never seen that used in this way."

According to a statement, police were investigating multiple cases in
which a vehicle without a license plate was driven into parking
structures to commit crimes. Before the Mercedes was found, it was
unclear whether the plate was missing or concealed.

Read more at https://abc7.com/license-plate-flipper-irvine-mercedes/11874578/

[Princess Turandot]

1. Here's a video showing the gizmo...

[NCjack]

3. In the 1950s(?), a criminal in the Dick Tracey comics had a flipper on

his license plate -- controlled by the driver.

[nycbos]

4. GOLDFINGER Q introduces Bond to his DB5

[Diablo del sol]

5. Did they look like gardeners?

Won't make sense to those outside the area. Anyone who spends any time on Culver, Jeffery, or University on any given workday will get it though.