Petrol prices ‘behind rising number plate thefts’

ERIN PEARSON
Rising petrol rises are behind a “sharp increase” in thefts of number plates around Geelong, according to police.
Leading Senior Constable Graeme Smith said the thieves were attaching the plates to their own cars so they could drive away from service stations without paying for petrol.
Snr Const Smith said police were recording 60 to 70 “drive-offs” from service stations each month.
Police were investigating three petrol drive-offs last week alone at 7-Eleven stores in Newcomb and Geelong and at a Shell service station on Latrobe Terrace, he said.
“They appear to be randomly targeted because we’ve also had incidents at the APCO in North Geelong and at another service station on Shannon Avenue.
“We’re seeing an unusual increase, which we correlate with a rise in petrol prices.”
Snr Const Smith said the thieves used stolen plates in each of last week’s drive-offs.
Police believed many drive-offs went unreported, he said.
“A lot of service stations aren’t getting number plates and others just don’t let us know, which makes it almost impossible to catch the offenders.
“Despite this we’re seeing a pretty successful number of offenders caught.”
Leading Senior Constable Andrew King said Belmont, Newtown and Geelong West were hotspots for theft of number plates.
APCO service station director Peter Anderson said he was “fed-up” with drive-offs.
“We see the increase in drive-offs when the fuel price goes up but the offences must be followed up strongly in the courts,” he said.
“Police are doing everything they possibly can, we get terrific support, but when someone uses a car with false number plates to steal fuel it’s an offence already and people are walking away far too easily.”