Driver rues stolen plates

By Callan Date
CRANBOURNE moto-rist Stacey Wightley has vowed to be one of the first Casey residents to take up the new anti-theft screws offer after one of her personalised number plates was stolen last Friday.
The 18-year-old was furious after her much loved pink STAYC-0 plate was taken from her car while it was parked out the front of her Cranbourne house.
Ms Wightley spent $380 on her unique plates and now has the inconvenience of driving her Hyundai Lantra without the rear plate as well as an $80 fee for a replacement.
“I’m really angry. I have only had them for eight months and one has already been stolen,” Ms Wightley said.
Her bad luck came a week too early as Casey Council and Victoria Police officially launched Operation Safe Plate on Tuesday.
As reported in the News last week, a five-week trial to fit anti-theft screws to vehicle number plates will be conducted at several locations throughout Casey.
Safe Plate officials and local volunteers will be fitting the new screws to the cars of consenting owners at no cost at Cranbourne Railway Station on 4, 5, and 6 September from 9.30am to 2pm.
Ms Wightley said she would definitely head down to one of the locations where Casey Council will be distributing the anti-theft screws in order to protect her plates from being stolen again.
Motorists can head to Narre Warren Railway Station on 11, 12 and 13 September and Hallam Railway Station on 2, 3, 4 October from 9.30am to have the screws fitted.
Police will also be at Merinda Park Railway Station on 9, 10 and 11 October and Berwick Railway Station on 16, 17 and 18 October.
Operation Safe Plate coordinator Sergeant Terry Lloyd said they also hoped to fit the anti-theft screws to cars in two shopping centres for people who couldn’t make it to the railway stations.
“We are in talks with Endeavour Hills Shopping Centre and Westfield Fountain Gate Shopping Centre to fit the screws to cars in the car park on a Sunday,” Sgt Lloyd said.