James and Hugh,
A while back I saw a guy wearing an IR LED hat, to defeat cameras: How To Fool Facial Recognition Cameras and Video …. Plate covers will get you caught; taking out or burning your bulb out will likely get you pulled over and searched if the police decide they are having that bad a day; having no lights out is best. This might help. – F.M.
o o o
JWR,
Another (mostly) legal way to block your plate is to get one of the receiver hitch “baskets”. Some fold up when not in use and block plates just enough. Some can be modified to block plates. – W.A.