Rosamond Road, Maribyrnong and Laverton’s Railway Avenue were the worst streets for car theft in the municipalities of Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay, data from the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council (NMVTRC) shows.
NMVTRC figures released last week reveal 263 car thefts in Maribyrnong and 160 in Hobsons Bay during the past financial year.
Most thefts were short-term, with cars stolen not for their value but for use in committing other crimes, joyriding or transport. There were 192 short-term thefts in Maribyrnong and 105 in Hobsons Bay.
The remainder of thefts were profit- motivated, which means the cars were never recovered.
Rosamond Road. which includes the Highpoint car park, recorded 11 short-term thefts and four profit-motivated thefts. Ballarat Road at Maidstone also recorded 11 short-term thefts and three that were profit-motivated. Other streets with multiple car thefts were: Geelong Road at Kingsville; Nicholson and Neil streets and Ballarat Road in Footscray; Stephen Street in Yarraville; Gordon Street in Maribyrnong; and South and Ballarat roads, Braybrook.
The Maribyrnong car model most commonly stolen was the Subaru Impreza, followed by Nissan Skyline and Pulsar. Nissan Pulsar was the thieves’ car of choice in Hobsons Bay.
Railway Avenue, Triholm Avenue and Bladin Street at Laverton were three of the worst hotspots for cars stolen, totalling 11.
Other streets with multiple car thefts were Thorpe Street in Newport; Fourth Avenue and Blackshaws Road, Altona North; Alma Avenue and Orville streets in Altona Meadows; Geelong Road at Brooklyn; and Westlink Court in Altona.
NMVTRC executive director Ray Carroll said there were two simple steps motorists could take to reduce the risk of car theft – buy an engine immobiliser for vehicles made before 2001 and secure the keys of newer models.
“In around 70 per cent of late-model thefts, the thief has been able to gain access to the keys,” he said.
“It’s a trend we are seeing right across Australia.”
