THE theft of car number plates is causing concern to Kingston detectives, with five plates stolen from cars in the past week.
Two number plates were stolen from a Holden Astra parked outside a house in Village Crescent, Chelsea, overnight Monday 25 September, and another pair were stolen from a Holden sedan parked outside a house in Bourke St, Mentone, overnight Wednesday 27 September.
The front number plate was stolen from a Mazda sedan parked in the Parkdale station car park, Saturday 30 September.
Detective Sergeant Paul Toogood, of Kingston CIU, said the number plates were used by criminals to put on other cars to commit further offences, such as the theft of petrol and burglaries.
To help stop number plates being stolen, he urges motorists to replace their car’s screws with one-way screws which require a special tool to be removed.
These screws are available from hardware and automotive stores. Neighbourhood Watch and community groups regularly organise Safe Plate Days at community locations where police and volunteers attend and put safe screws on each number plate in place of the original screws.
Anyone with information on any of these incidents should call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 4 October 2017