Police drive on thefts pays off

By Callan Date
THEFT from motor vehicles was down by 65 per cent in April, Casey police say.
The result follows a campaign by local police officers aimed at highlighting items which are regularly stolen from cars.
Global positioning systems (GPS) were among the most commonly stolen items, with 13 units stolen throughout Casey in a seven-day period during February.
Casey Acting Police Inspector Bruce Kitchen said several arrests had been made since police launched the awareness campaign.
“The community really responded well to the information which was put out in the media,” Act Insp Kitchen said.
Some of the arrests included:
• A 16-year-old Berwick youth who was charged with two counts of handling stolen goods, six counts of theft from motor vehicle and one count of going equipped to steal. He has been asked to appear before the Dandenong Children’s Court on 16 April.
• An 18-year-old Narre Warren South man charged with handling stolen goods. He is set to appear before the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 15 July.
• A Narre Warren man, 18, has been charged with nine counts of theft from motor vehicle and one count of going equipped to steal.
He is set to appear before the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 21 May.
Act Insp Kitchen urged motorists to continue to be cautious and avoid leaving any valuable property in their vehicles.