By XAVIER SMERDON
POLICE, an anti-crime organisation and the Werribee Plaza are uniting to try and stamp out number plate thefts in Wyndham.
Community Against Crime, a not-for-profit group that encourages residents to report crimes or suspicious activity in their area and share it with other members, will be hosting a free anti-theft number plate screw handout.
The screws are designed to be tightened easily but are unable to be loosened without police assistance.
Tim Payne from Community Against Crime said the group would be handing out the screws along with local police at the Werribee Plaza during Operation Secure.
Senior Constable Megan De Winne from the Wyndham North Police Station said countless number plates were being reported as stolen in the area.
“Every day someone is coming in with a report of a stolen plate,” Sen Const De Winne said.
“They (thieves) place them on their own cars and use them to perform petrol drive-offs, burglaries and other crimes.”
Sen Const De Winne said the large number of parked cars at Werribee Plaza made it a target for number plate thefts.
“The shopping centre is a safe place and it doesn’t happen all the time at shopping centres but it is happening a lot,” she said.
“What they tend to do is take the plates from a car that closely matches their own.”
Mr Payne said he hoped to install 1000 of the anti-theft screws on the day.
“We’ve had numerous number plate thefts reported to us,” Mr Payne said.
“It’s going to be a lot of hard work but if we can do 1000 screws that will be amazing.”
Operation Secure will be held at the Chirnside entrance of Werribee Plaza on Saturday 4 May from 10am to 5pm.
For more information visit www.communityagainstcrime.com.au
