Wyndham Police are urging residents to lock and check their cars, as part of a new initiative to reduce car thefts.
The ‘You’ve Been Checked’ campaign encourages car owners to fight the habit of leaving vehicles unlocked and valuables on display for potential thieves.
The latest local government area data from the Crime Statistics Agency suggested there was a 12.6 per cent increase in the ‘steal from a motor vehicle’ category in the municipality, rising to 1605 recorded incidents for the year ending March 2022, from 1425 the previous year.
Wyndham local area commander inspector Darren Bentley said police did not want community members to be victims of theft from motor vehicles.
“Although local police work hard at preventing offence, some simple messages for the community to reduce vehicle crime would be to take…precautions,” he said.
“Remember to lock your vehicle, even when you park for short periods of time or at home, never leave documents or valuables in your car, Where possible, park in well-lit areas, remember to physically check that your car is locked and valuables are removed before you leave it parked.”
Across the state, there were 14,881 motor vehicle theft offences reported in the year to march 2022.
Crime Stoppers Victoria chief executive Stella Smith said while it only takes a second to lock your car, it is a lengthy process to replace phones, ID and credit cards.
“The most common property items stolen from vehicles include cash and personal documents, car accessories, power tools, mobile phones, and laptops,” Ms Smith said,
“Theft of property from motor vehicles can cause considerable financial loss and inconvenience. Theft of your personal documents can also lead to identity theft.
“We want Victorians to always remember to lock and check their vehicles.”
