In a bizarre turn of events, a California woman has been arrested after attempting to deceive police with a homemade license plate on a suspected stolen car. The incident unfolded in the early hours of Friday morning in the city of Benicia, just north of San Francisco.

The culprit, identified as 38-year-old Angel Rachiene Bolton, went to great lengths to create a fake license plate for the stolen vehicle, a silver Kia Rio LX. Using what appeared to be printer paper, Bolton meticulously handwrote the license plate numbers with a thick black marker. She then affixed the counterfeit plate to the back of the car using duct tape.

The audacity of Bolton's plan was immediately noticed by an astute officer patrolling the 5000 block of East 2nd Street. "At about 1 a.m. today, one of our officers was patrolling the area when he saw this beautifully handwritten license plate on a car," the Benicia Police Department revealed. A routine check on the vehicle confirmed the officer's suspicions that it had indeed been reported stolen in Alameda.

However, it wasn't just the artistic flair of the forged license plate that raised eyebrows. The expiration date on the counterfeit tags read "JAN 2023," a clear giveaway since real registration stickers should have been affixed in that location. Not only was Bolton attempting to deceive with a homemade plate, but she also failed to keep up with current registration requirements.

The Benicia Police Department wasted no time sharing their disbelief and amusement at the suspect's audacious attempt on social media. "We know we are not superheroes, but just FYI this is NOT a way to get one over on us," the department jokingly remarked in a Facebook post. They also offered a "pro tip" to Bolton, advising her to at least ensure the “registration” is current next time.

Bolton was swiftly taken into custody without incident and transported to Solano County Jail. She now faces charges of felony possession of a stolen vehicle as well as misdemeanor possession of "unlawful paraphernalia" for the fake license plate. As of now, Bolton has not issued a statement in response to the charges.

In an unexpected twist, a passenger in the stolen car, a 30-year-old man from Alameda whose identity has not been disclosed, was also arrested. The passenger, who had three out-of-county warrants for his arrest, was booked for allegedly possessing a controlled substance, specifically a narcotics pipe.

This unusual case serves as a reminder that law enforcement officers are always vigilant and ready to uncover even the most outlandish attempts at deception. While the Benicia Police Department may not consider themselves superheroes, they certainly proved their ability to see through a comically forged license plate and bring the perpetrators to justice.