By LAURA WAKELY
BRIMBANK Police are listing stolen registrations on their Facebook page in an effort to crack down on number plate theft.
Brimbank Crime Prevention Officer Leading Senior Constable Electra Wellens said the 12 plates posted on the Brimbank Eyewatch page were all pairs stolen between Sunday 6 May and Sunday 13 May.
There were 2632 thefts from motor vehicles across Brimbank last year, including number plate thefts.
Lead Sen Const Wellens said stolen plates are often recorded in petrol drive offs, speeding and other serious crimes.
She said police hoped members of the public may recognise the plates and be reminded to be more vigilant about number plate theft through the Brimbank Eyewatch page.
The measure is also a way of encouraging petrol retailers to become more proactive about crime prevention.
“By making them (stolen number plates) accessible we’re trying to encourage petrol retailers to come onboard and check out these plates,” Lead Sen Const Wellens said.
“For them to take a corporate and social responsibility.”
She said it was important for anyone who has number plates stolen to report it to police immediately.
“If an offence occurs with your number plates you may be charged until you are able to prove your innocence,” she said.
“You also need to report it to VicRoads. It’s quite time-consuming. There’s also a fine for driving around without number plates.”
But she said the crime could be prevented by installing one-way screws to vehicles.
The screws can be purchased from hardware stores or collected free of charge at police stations.
