Police have fill of fuel thieves

By Bridget Brady
ATTENTION petrol thieves: your numbers are up.
Casey police are on the lookout for thieves who use stolen numberplates to steal petrol.
A team has been established dedicated to catching the thieves, who steal about $1000 worth of petrol in Casey each month.
Leading Senior Constable Chris Blazevic said police came across about 50 of these cases each month. He said police discovered the plates were stolen after they viewed security footage from service stations where people drove away without paying for fuel.
“We think in some cases people have the (stolen) plates at home, put them on, go and get petrol, then go home and put their normal plates back on,” Sen Const Blazevic said.
He said the number of cases increased as the price of petrol rose.
Detective Sergeant Phil Ross said it was not just an inconvenience to staff at petrol stations, but also to residents who have had their numberplates stolen. “All of these cars have stolen plates and they are not just being taken from railway stations, but from people’s streets,” Det Sgt Ross said.
He said people could install “one-way” screws on their numberplates to deter thieves. Police said if caught, people’s cars could be seized.
If anyone has information on petrol thefts they can contact the Endeavour Hills Police Station on 9709 7666 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.