By Alesha Capone
MANY commuters are too scared to leave their vehicles in a section of Deer Park Railway Station’s car park which is not covered by security cameras, according to a community representative.
Les Tarczon, from the Deer Park Residents and Traders Association, said many residents were afraid their cars would be burgled or damaged if they parked in the area.
He said several commuters have told him their cars had been damaged or robbed during the past three weeks.
The news comes as Brimbank Police said they would create a taskforce to crackdown on thefts from cars across the area.
At a meeting of Deer Park traders and police last week, Senior Sergeant Mick Shaughnessy said a “vehicle theft taskforce” would be formed to deal with the problem.
“We are aware of it and there will be a taskforce,” he said.
Last month, the Star reported Brimbank Police were warning commuters not to leave valuable items in cars at railway stations, after an “upward swing” in thefts.
Mr Tarczon said the issue was “hotting up” at the Deer Park station car park, which is serviced by V/Line.
“What the community’s telling us, one part is OK to park in, where the CCTV is,” he said.
“Kids or whoever are smashing windows and getting in, walking past cars and scratching them or trying to take the radios out.”
“There would be a dozen or more people who have had these things happen to them over a period of two or three weeks.”
“It seems to happen from 3.30 to 5.30 in the afternoon.”
Mr Tarczon said installing more CCTV cameras to focus on the section of car park not already monitored could combat the problem.
A Department of Transport spokesman said the Victorian Government completed a $5 million make-over at Deer Park station this year, including CCTV and lighting.
“There is no immediate plan to expand CCTV coverage at the station,” he said.
