Number plates on new cars and motorbikes will be fitted with one-way screws in a new push to drive down number plate theft in Wyndham.
Wyndham council will join forces with Victoria Police and local car dealerships for the Safe Plate Partnership initiative that will result in new cars and motorcycles leaving Wyndham dealerships with number plates attached with one-way screws.
Drivers whose cars have standard number plate screws can get them replaced by one-way screws at local service clubs on nominated dates. Venues where this can be done will be announced later this week.
Wyndham councillor Peter Gibbons said number plate theft accounted for a large percentage of thefts from motor vehicles in Wyndham.
“The original theft of number plates can then be compounded, as they are often used in other crimes,” Mr Gibbons said.
“It also creates a significant headache for residents, who have to go through the process of reporting the thefts and applying for new number plates. This initiative aims to reduce the number of these thefts.
“Anti-theft screws prevent people from removing the number plates and are a low-cost solution to a prevalent issue.”
Data from the Crime Statistics Agency reveals that 588 number plates were stolen from vehicles in 2015, 34 fewer than in the previous year.
Crime prevention officer Craig McDonald said that, on average, one number plate was stolen in Wyndham every day.
“It’s never two plates at once, it’s always a single plate,” he said. “You’d notice if two plates were stolen but if you’ve driven into a parking space, when you got back to your car you’d see the back of it and see the number plate was missing. But you don’t see the front.
“Most people don’t know their plates have been stolen until we ring them.”
Leading Senior Constable McDonald said the joint venture was a “no-brainer”.
“It’s a crime prevention strategy that we know 100 per cent works,” he said.
