Victoria Police are sounding the alarm: lock your car to stop a rise in theft.
In the Wyndham area in the suburbs southwest of Melbourne’s city centre, 63 per cent of vehicles broken into in the past month were unlocked, leading to the theft of valuables and other important documents.
Since February, more than 75 thieves have been caught in Wyndham alone, although many more remain at large.
Commonly stolen items include wallets, phones, handbags, laptops and large amounts of cash.
In one incident, a 29-year-old man stole identification cards and used them to obtain a $20,000 credit card as well as a new cell phone.
In another case, a man broke into an unlocked vehicle and stole a power bank and keys to some property.
On March 2, an unknown man entered an unlocked BMW (above) and stole a laptop worth $3,500 and $500 in cash.
The third incident occurred in early April, when a vehicle pulled up next to a parked white Jeep and stole an $8,000 watch from its glove box.
Wyndham Police last year established the Vehicle Crime Reduction Team, amid the increasing prevalence of car thefts.
Acting Detective Sergeant Darcy Spence urged drivers to remove valuables from their vehicles and properly lock and secure their vehicles.
“We are investing significantly in auto thefts because we know how much they impact victims and their sense of security,” he said.
“When interviewed, the offenders told us they tried many parked cars until they found one that was unlocked.
“That means we really need the community to help them.”
If you know any information about the released images, please get in touch A person who specializes in catching criminals on 1800 333 000.
If you witness suspicious behavior around parked vehicles, report it to the police by calling 000.
