Police step up petrol patrols

By Sarah Schwager
DESPITE a decrease in petrol prices over the last few weeks, petrol thefts are at a high in Cranbourne.
Eight reported thefts in the past week have forced police to increase efforts to curb drive-offs.
Senior Sergeant Bernie Kaminski said the Cranbourne Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU) Tasking Unit would continue to concentrate on petrol thefts, with police in the process of collecting security footage from service stations in the area.
“Police are also conducting covert operations to detect people who are attaching false or stolen registration plates to their cars,” Sen Sgt Kaminski said.
Last week the News reported Cranbourne police were cracking down on stolen registration plates and petrol drive-off crimes in response to an average of six petrol drive-offs in Cranbourne every week.
Sen Sgt Kaminski said four officers had been allocated to the task force to analyse the trends in stolen petrol and make sure the thieves were caught.
“Because it is one of the high problem crimes in the area it has been given priority,” he said.