Wangaratta police will be assisting with free installations of anti-theft screws on number plates this weekend following a recent spike in number plate thefts locally. According to the latest crime data, stealing from motor vehicle offences reached a decade high in Wangaratta this past financial year with 135 offences committed, a 16 per cent increase on last year. Leading Senior Constable Helen Parfett said the increase in number plate theft has continued over recent months and these crimes were not to be taken lightly. “Stolen plates can be used to commit more serious offences such as petrol drive-offs, driving offences, burglaries, and even drug trafficking,” she said. “These one-way screws can be used to secure your number plates, making them harder to steal. “Don’t become a victim of crime.” Wangaratta officers with assistance from members of the Wangaratta Men’s Shed will be stationed at the Bunnings Warehouse carpark on Tone Road from 10am to 12pm on Saturday 3 October to fit the anti-theft screws with participating motorists.
