Number’s up for ‘plate’ thieves

THE price of petrol is up and so is the police presence looking out for number plate thieves.
Casey Police this week also started an increase in patrols around petrol stations in a bid to curb the high amount of petrol drive-offs occurring.
Local residents are being asked to check their registration plates regularly, and consider replacing their current number plate screws with one way screws.
Casey Acting Inspector Bruce Kitchen said new technology was assisting police in their fight against this ever-increasing crime.
“Our in-car systems allow us to check high numbers of vehicles quickly, resulting in greater efficiency in identifying thieves,” Act Insp Kitchen said.
“If one or both of your plates are stolen, we need victims to contact the police immediately so that we can flag the registration number,” he said.
Police can immediately intercept a vehicle that is identified as having false plates.
“Number plate theft is a crime of opportunity, and the more difficult you make it, the more likely a would-be thief will look elsewhere,” Act Insp Kitchen said.
“While we don’t claim that the screws are theft proof, we do know that they take a lot longer to remove and therefore deter thieves.”
Number plate theft fluctuates with increases in petrol prices and police regularly ‘sit off’ petrol stations, checking vehicles as they enter and exit bowsers.
Police said previous operations had resulted in many successful prosecutions.
Members of the community are also being asked to assist police by monitoring and reporting any suspicious behaviour around unattended vehicles.
Anyone who witnesses such behaviour should call 000.