Car dealerships should fit number plates with one-way screws to prevent petrol theft, a parliamentary inquiry into petrol drive-offs has heard.
The state Law Reform, Road and Community Safety Committee is part-way through an inquiry into petrol thieves who fill up and flee, often using stolen number plates to prevent detection.
The inquiry has invited contributions from petrol station owners and operators, insurance companies, members of the public and other stakeholders on how to reduce the incidence of petrol drive-offs and find ways for operators to recover their losses.
Werribee and Laverton North were among the top five postcodes for petrol drive-offs between April 2014 and March 2015.
They were surpassed only by Cranbourne, Dandenong North and Altona Meadows.
Figures released by the Crime Statistics Agency reveal 836 petrol drive-off offences in Wyndham between January 1, 2013, and March 31, 2015.
Of those incidents, 558 were unsolved.
Victoria Police announced in July 2013 it would no longer investigate petrol drive-offs unless there was sufficient information to indicate criminality.
But Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana said police had had “increased investigative success” since the policy was introduced.
“We are aware that stolen number plates are used in some petrol drive-offs,” he said.
Mr Fontana called on drivers to contact their local police to get their number plates secured with one-way screws, to prevent thieves from stealing their plates. In its submission to the inquiry, Neighbourhood Watch Victoria recommended that instead of drivers taking the initiative to have their number plates fitted with one-way screws, car dealerships should fit them at the point of sale for both new and used vehicles.
Other submissions, including one from the RACV, recommended that service stations implement a policy requiring pre-payment for petrol.
The inquiry will release its findings in December.
