By NICOLE VALICEK
CAR break-ins and theft from motor vehicles are on the rise in Melton.
Constable Nick Brickley from the Caroline Springs Police station said there had been a dramatic increase in car break-ins around the Melton area, in particular Caroline Springs.
Over the past three weeks Constable Brickley estimated there had been an average of two to three car break-ins reported per day.
According to the latest Victoria Police statistics comparing the 2010-11 and 2011-12 financial years, theft from motor vehicles jumped 34.6 per cent from 865 to 1164.
Constable Brickley said people were ignoring police warnings about leaving valuable possessions, like GPS devices, out of sight.
He added people were also not locking car doors.
“People aren’t getting the message and as a result opportunistic thieves are running rampant,” he said.
Recent car break-ins have been reported around shopping centres in the Hillside and Taylors Lakes areas.
In most cases the opportunistic thieves smashed car windows to gain access inside the vehicle.
Constable Brickley said these offences weren’t confined to car parks, railway stations and shopping centres.
He said criminals were targeting vehicles out the front of homes, on streets and in drive-ways.
“People might park their car for five minutes (on the street) and that’s all it takes for a kid to break a window.”
Other valuable items that have been stolen from vehicles include iPads, phones, laptops and handbags.
“Take that 30 seconds to lock your valuables up, we can’t stress it enough,” Constable Brickley said.
