Phones, wallets, satellite navigation systems and sunglasses were among items taken in a Wyndham crime spree, during which almost 100 cars were broken into in just the first two weeks of this year.
Wyndham police inspector Frank Sells said the Victoria Police ‘lock it or lose it’ message was just not getting through.
Inspector Sells called on drivers to park their cars in garages or in well-lit areas whenever possible.
He urged them to remove all valuables and lock cars every time they park. He said the thefts were occuring in suburban streets across the municipality.
“Unlocked cars create a crime of opportunity, with offenders walking along the street trying door handles until one opens.
“Mobile phones, money, wallets and purses left in full view make the car vulnerable to theft.
INSPECTOR FRANK SELLS
“The theft of wallets and purses risks the identity of the victim being compromised and may also lead to credit or debit card fraud,” Inspector Sells said.
“It’s not uncommon for the credit or debit card to be used a number of times before the victim is aware of the theft.”
In one recent case, police arrested and charged a 32-year-old Werribee man with theft from a motor vehicle and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
Police allege the man stole car keys and other personal items from an unlocked vehicle parked at a local business about 6.30am last Thursday.
He was arrested later that day and remanded at an out-of-sessions court hearing.
The stolen property has yet to be recovered.
Crime prevention officer Craig McDonald said number plate thefts also remained a big problem across Wyndham.
He said these thefts had been a particular problem around major shopping centres, such as Pacific Werribee, as well as for owners of cars parked at train stations.
Leading Senior Constable McDonald said the only way to prevent number plate thefts was for drivers to replace the standard number plate screws with one-way security screws.
