By NATALIE GALLENTI
MELTON police were clamping down last week on motorists with outstanding warrants and fines as part of Operation ANPR.
Police were left shaking their heads after 95 people with 1361 outstanding warrants, totalling $451,604.70 were identified as part of the joint operation between Melton police and the Sheriff’s office.
Automated Number Plate Recognition technology was used at the site set up on High St.
Victoria Police data revealed 24 vehicles were clamped as part of the operation, while 10 people identified owed more than $10,000 in outstanding fines or warrants.
One woman owed a whopping $88, 000.
Twenty-nine people chose to pay their fines on the day, allowing the Sheriff’s officers to clear a further 150 warrants and recover $43,108.51.
This latest operation was conducted as a follow up to Operation Surrender, held in August, after it was identified that there were more than 17,000 people with over 107,000 outstanding warrants amounting to more than $38 million living in Melton, Caroline Springs and Deer Park.
Melton Inspector Stephen Mutton said both police and the Sheriff’s office are determined to catch anyone who continued to ignore their outstanding warrants in and around Melton.
“The aim of Operation Surrender was to give people the opportunity to take care of their outstanding warrants before they were caught by other means. We warned residents that we would be out conducting further operations to enforce this,” Insp Mutton said.
“Today, we have seen a number of people caught at the ANPR road block. Instead of choosing to deal with their problems and do the right thing, many of these people now have to deal with not only paying their fines, but also the inconvenience of having their car clamped on the spot.”
Insp Mutton encouraged anyone with outstanding warrants to contact the Sheriff’s office and set up a payment plan.
“We’re trying to educate the community … my point is the stress it’s causing on families, it would have to contribute to issues like family violence and alcoholism, it’s about breaking the cycle.
“There are simple solutions, people need to do something about it.”
As part of the operation, police also detected eight unregistered drivers, four unlicensed drivers, one suspended driver and seven other traffic offences.
Anyone seeking more information about their outstanding warrants can contact Melton police station or call Civic Compliance Victoria on 9200 8222.
