Smart vault with security system affix to rear or front of license plate location outside any vehicle to enable remote access to cars

A vehicle vault, comprising:

• a base portion sized and shaped as a vehicle license plate holder for installation onto a vehicle bumper, the base portion comprising:
• a vault for storing small objects, comprising a storage compartment and a removable cover for providing access to the storage compartment;
• and
• an electronic locking mechanism for locking and unlocking the vault;
• a movable portion rotatably coupled to an edge of the base portion, comprising means to secure a vehicle license plate;
• a vault cover plate sensor for detecting when the vault cover plate has been placed into a closed position;
• a digital camera for providing a first digital image of an interior of the storage compartment in response to the vault cover plate sensor detecting that the vault cover plate has been placed into the closed position;
• and
• a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the first digital image to a remote location.

A vehicle vault, comprising:

• a base portion sized and shaped as a vehicle license plate holder for installation onto a vehicle bumper, the base portion comprising:
• a vault for storing small objects, comprising a storage compartment and a removable cover for providing access to the storage compartment;
• and
• an electronic locking mechanism for locking and unlocking the vault;
• a movable portion rotatably coupled to an edge of the base portion, comprising means to secure a vehicle license plate;
• and
• a battery mounted into a depression formed into a face of the base portion and electronically coupled to the electronic locking mechanism, the battery comprising a tab that extends past an edge of the battery;
• wherein the removable cover is sized and shaped to shield the cover and the tab thereby preventing the battery from being removed when the removable cover is closed against the storage compartment.