By Eleanor Wilson
A Berwick resident is calling for increased police presence in the City of Casey, after he was involved in a collision with a stolen vehicle.
Leslie Chan’s Mercedes Benz was hit by a white TT Audi as he was driving through Bernly Boulevard, Berwick in mid August.
The Audi fled the scene of the collision, leaving Mr Chan to foot the bill for damage caused to the side of his vehicle.
The Audi was later confirmed to be a stolen vehicle.
“I followed behind and quickly took a picture of the vehicle’s number plate and was so shocked to see that the driver and passengers were teenagers. He drove so quickly that I could not catch the car,” Mr Chan said.
Mr Chan said he wants to see more police presence in Berwick as the population in the growth corridor continues to rise.
“I think I have the responsibility to tell the public, because anyone may be the next victim. I really do not want to see our lovely neighbours get hurt.
“Berwick is a beautiful place, there’s just a lot more people now so we need more police support to ensure the safety of the residents.”
The area is no stranger to crimes involving stolen vehicles.
On 29 September two 15-year-olds were arrested in a stolen vehicle in Cranbourne West after it had been seen driving erratically in the southern suburbs.
Just four days before that, four teenagers aged between 14 and 16 were arrested in Cranbourne North after allegedly stealing a blue Audi Sedan in an aggravated burglary two days earlier.
Casey Police Service Area also released a statement on 16 September regarding a “spate of theft from motor vehicles and theft of motor vehicles” at Casey Aquatic and Recreation Centre (ARC) in Narre Warren and Casey RACE in Cranbourne East.
“There will be a visible and plain clothed police presence at these two locations,” the Facebook post read.
“Community members who attend these facilities, please be aware to lock your vehicles, don’t leave any valuables visible in your vehicle [and] secure your keys on you at the facility (if practical) or store them in a safe place.”
Despite the apparent frequency of stolen vehicle crimes throughout Casey, new data shows this year the municipality experienced the lowest rate of motor vehicle thefts in a decade, recording 564 thefts for the year ending June 2022.
Theft from a motor vehicle also fell 7 per cent and general offence rates in the municipality are also at a 10-year low.
“While these are overwhelmingly positive statistics, each victim of crime is one too many and we will not sit idly by as crime occurs,” Casey Local Area Commander Inspector Melissa Webbers said.
Inspector Webbers said police in the municipality were adequately equipped to handle crime.
Between 2018 and 2022, Casey received a further 41 frontline officers and 70 shared divisional resources, including 25 Highway Patrol, 10 Crime Scene Services and five Crime Investigation Unit officers, she said.
To ensure vehicle safety, Inspector Webbers said vehicle owners should park their cars in a secure location and lock their vehicles.
“Local police will continue to conduct covert and overt patrols within Casey targeting vehicle theft, supported by Highway Patrol vehicles fitted with Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology to scan and identify stolen and unregistered vehicles,” she said.
From a statewide perspective in the 12 months to June, almost half of all theft from motor vehicle offences showed no visible force, while one in three thefts from motor vehicle offences related to theft of number plates.
If you believe you have been a victim of vehicle theft or witness suspicious behaviour, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
