By Casey Neill
GREATER Dandenong is a number plate theft hot spot, but a new police operation is targeting the crime.
Operation SAFEPL8 will run over the next three months and involve increased patrols, random mobile registration checks and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) operations.
Greater Dandenong Inspector Bruce Kitchen said stolen plates were used to steal petrol, evade toll road fees and commit burglaries. The area was in the top 10 for number plate thefts in 2011-12.
“The number of offences fluctuates depending on the petrol price,” he said.
Insp Kitchen said SAFEPL8 was designed to prevent the thefts and give motorists practical information to secure their plates.
Assistant Commissioner Andrew Crisp said the preventable crime took officers off the street and away from their patrol duties.
“We’re calling on the community to be vigilant when it comes to preventing number plate theft by fitting one-way screws and where possible, parking off the street and in well-lit areas,” he said.
“Any extra time required by a thief to remove number plates as well as an increased likelihood of attracting attention, greatly reduces the risk of a number plate being stolen.”
SAFEPL8 is a joint initiative between the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC), Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV), Crime Stoppers and Neighbourhood Watch.
Police urged anyone with information about number plate theft to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. For more information about one-way screws, visit www.police.vic.gov.au.
