27 July 2012

Project Safe Plate returns to Tuggeranong Hyperdome

27 July 2012 | By Ruqi

ACT Policing and Tuggeranong Hyperdome are working together to combat registration plate theft through a free community program, Project Safe Plate, tomorrow morning (Saturday, July 28).

Between 9am and 1pm, motorists are encouraged to drive their cars into the Reed Street North car park at Tuggeranong Hyperdome, where they can have their registration plate screws replaced with tamper-proof screws which are more difficult for potential thieves to remove.

ACT Policing officers from Tuggeranong Station and Crime Prevention, along with police volunteers and recruits will be replacing the screws free of charge.

South District Superintendent Paul Shakeshaft said community initiatives, such as Project Safe Plate, not only provide members of the public an opportunity to interact with local police, but also a way of deterring potential offenders.

“Stolen registration plates are often used by offenders to commit further offences, including petrol drive-offs, burglaries and traffic offences. By securing your registration plates with these tamper-proof screws at tomorrow’s event, you will not only make it harder for thieves to target your plates, but also make it harder for offenders to avoid police detection through using stolen plates,” Superintendent Shakeshaft said.

Last year, 1001 registration plates were reported as stolen to ACT Policing. So far this year (to 30 June), 525 registration plates have been reported as stolen to police.

If your registration plates are stolen, report it to ACT Policing Operations on 131-444.

[Courtesy ACT Policing]