BRIMBANK police are confident they are putting a dent in car theft numbers despite the release of worrying statistics.
RACV data released last week showed St Albans was the No. 1 area for vehicle theft in Melbourne, with 19 insurance claims in 2012, ahead of Frankston and Epping. Sunshine was 12th with 12 claims.
But Acting Inspector Stephen Mutton said there had been a 32 per cent decrease in stolen cars over the past three months through the work of a special unit.
“We’ve seen some good success with targeting theft of, and from, vehicles so far,’’ he said.
‘‘The key is to be in the right place at the right time. We are focusing on having very visible patrols in local hot spots.
“It’s a busy area [Brimbank]; there are lots of commuters with three train stations, so there’s a lot of parked cars.
“It’s a high-risk community.
“People need to remember to park their cars safely, to keep them locked and not leave any valuables lying around.”
While the latest Victoria Police statistics reveal thefts from motor vehicles dropped 3.5 per cent in the year to March 31, car thefts increased 16.6 per cent, from 1118 incidents to 1304.
Inspector Chris Gilbert said sustained reductions in crimes including robbery and theft of cars were linked to the creation of dedicated teams that focused on prevention as much as enforcement.
