35% surge in vehicle crime sparks new campaign Thieves go high-tech

Thieves are targeting high-tech gadgets in an “alarming rise” in thefts from cars around Geelong, according to police.
Favourite targets include GPS units, MP3 players, laptop computers, cameras and mobile phones, police said. However, traditional attractions remained popular, with opportunistic thieves also keen to pounce on sunglasses and loose change.
A 35 per cent surge in thefts from cars in the past 12 months prompted Geelong Police to launch a campaign at the city’s railway station on Wednesday urging motorists to stow their valuables out of sight in locked vehicles.
Motorists complained to the Independent last year about a rash of thefts from cars around the city’s railway stations. Commuters said they often returned from work to find car windows smashed and possessions missing.
Geelong Police Leading Senior Constable Andrew King hoped the Lock It, Remove It, Or Lose It campaign would crack down on the rising scourge.
Overcoming Geelong’s “country town mentality” would be a challenge for the campaign, he said.
Ld Snr Const King said many regional motorists failed to adopt adequate security, thinking their valuables were safe in their cars.
“But figures show they couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said.
“Despite constant reminders, it’s overwhelming to see that people are still leaving valuables on show and that they’re leaving their cars unlocked.
“We need to start getting through to people that they’re not immune from crime.”
The campaign features 50 Lock It, Remove It, Or Lose It signs around train stations and Geelong car parks along with bin decals for problem areas.
“We want to deliver a strong visual message to the community that they’re not invincible to the dangers of vehicle crime and all it takes is less than a minute to hide valuables,” Ld Snr Const King said.
“The inconvenience of being the target of theft – having to get your window fixed or door locks replaces and the stress associated with it – is simply not worth it.”
Ld Snr Const King said Geelong’s southern suburbs of Highton, Belmont and Grovedale were hot-spots for theft from cars.
“There seems to be a train of thought out there that because you park in your driveway you don’t need to lock your vehicle when that’s not the case,” he said.