By Olivia Condous
Victoria Police and Crime Stoppers launched a new campaign today to encourage residents, including those in Melton, to better protect themselves from vehicle-related thefts.
The ‘You’ve Been Checked’ campaign is designed to discourage car owners from leaving their cars unlocked and valuables on display.
As part of the campaign, Crime Stoppers and Victoria Police will be checking if vehicles are secure in car parks across the greater Melbourne area.
The campaign launch comes as data from the Crime Statistics Agency showed 45 per cent of car thefts involved no visible force, as vehicles being left unlocked was a common issue.
Crime Stoppers will provide people with safety kits, to encourage them to lock and check before leaving their vehicles and help them to learn how to avoid becoming a target for thieves.
Crime Stoppers Victoria chief executive Stella Smith said the organisation wanted Victorians to consider the consequences of leaving their vehicles unlocked.
“Theft of property from motor vehicles can cause considerable financial loss and inconvenience and theft of your personal documents can also lead to identity theft” Ms Smith said.
Melton Police local area commander Inspector Lisa Prentice-Evans said the Victoria Police campaign provided valuable advice on safe car habits that everyone should adopt.
“Always remember to lock your vehicle, even when at home, never leave valuables in your car, remove any documents that could lead to identity theft and where possible park in well-lit areas and try to avoid leaving your vehicle unattended or unchecked for long periods of time,” Inspector Prentice-Evans said.
“Ensure you store your car keys in a safe and secure place and never leave your garage remote in your vehicle,” she said.
Inspector Prentice-Evans encouraged residents to report incidents of crime within the community.
“We cannot solve crime if it goes unreported, we always encourage reports of non-urgent crimes or events 24 hours a day, seven days a week through our Police Assistance Line (131 444) or Online Reporting services.”
