THE high cost of petrol could be fuelling a spate of numberplate thefts and drive-offs at petrol stations in the inner west, police say.
Footscray police crime prevention officer Craig McDonald said police had seen a surge in thefts of numberplates this year to more than one a day.
Recent official police statistics for Maribyrnong show there were 1160 thefts from cars in the municipality last year, or more than three a day – an increase of 4.1per cent on the previous year.
Leading Senior Constable McDonald said people were using the stolen numberplates while filling their car at petrol stations and driving off without paying. He said numberplate thefts now accounted for about one-third of thefts from cars. “We know the plates are being used for other offences so it has a compounding effect on crime. They steal the plates and go and do something else, like steal petrol.”
The offenders are hard to track down because the numberplates don’t match the description of the car, even when the theft is caught on camera.
Police are offering a free service where they fit numberplates with one-way screws that prevent theft.
A police car with a numberplate recognition camera will also be active in the area. “You can definitely do something to help prevent thefts of plates, and that’s fit security screws. We’ll be running fitting sessions at Highpoint shopping centre with the Lions Club as part of Operation Safe Plate in the coming weeks.”
Plates are fitted in exchange for a gold coin donation.
Leading Senior Constable McDonald reminded people to lock their cars and not keep expensive items such as GPS units in sight, as thefts from cars parked at places like Highpoint shopping centre continued to trouble police. “It’s just common sense. We don’t want to see anything left in cars like iPods; they will get stolen.”
Police will conduct fitting sessions all day on June 3 at Highpoint shopping centre car park, opposite The Good Guys.
Details: Footscray Lions Club, 0417540683
