Footscray is the car theft hot-spot of Maribyrnong, new data from the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council reveals.
NMVTRC figures reveal there were 295 car thefts in Maribyrnong in 2015-16, up from 264 in 2014-15.
In Hobsons Bay, 183 cars were stolen over the past financial year, while in 2014-15, 160 car thefts were recorded.
Most cars were stolen for use in committing other crimes, joyriding or transport, not for their value, with vehicles later recovered.
There were 212 short-term thefts in Maribyrnong and 128 in Hobsons Bay, the rest were profit-motivated.
Footscray recorded 104 car thefts, followed by Maribyrnong (57) and Maidstone (53). Altona North recorded the highest number of thefts from Hobsons Bay (36). Laverton had 33 thefts while Newport had 30.
The model of car most frequently stolen in both municipalities was Nissan Pulsars built between 1995 and 2000.
Victoria police crime prevention officer Craig McDonald said older cars, such as Nissan Pulsars, were easy targets for thieves because they don’t have immobilizers. He urged owners to fit their cars with club locks or electronic immobilizers to deter thieves.
“The door locking mechanisms on these cars are poor; there is no alarm and [thieves] now exactly how to steal them. If you know might be a target, get a club lock, at least for peace of mind,” he said.
Leading Senior Constable McDonald said it is important that people remember to lock their cars as well.
