Is it possible that the front license plate was already off the SUV and tossed into the back? Maybe it had fallen off previously and CH and WH had intentions to put it back on? It doesn't really make sense that he would remove it.
The only scenario I can think of is that maybe he had a master plan to back it into a parking space and in his mind thought that if he removed the front license plate that it would slow down the identification process?
The video, captured at the Shell station at 257th/Stark around 9:15am, showed the front license plate on the vehicle. This is per the search warrant affidavit.
The plate was missing when the car was found in the Wal-Mart parking lot several hours later.