With Senior Constable Tim Jessup, Beerwah Police Station
An ongoing issue with regards to property crime is thefts from vehicles. There are a few strategies which car owners can implement to lower their chances of becoming a victim of a property offence.
Firstly, it may be the most obvious strategy, and that is to make sure you lock your vehicle. Surprisingly, we continue to take reports where victims have left their vehicle unlocked.
Another strategy is to avoid keeping anything of any perceived value in the vehicle, especially where it can easily be seen from outside the vehicle. If you must keep things of value in your vehicle, place them in the glovebox, boot, or conceal them under a seat or something innocuous like an article of clothing or a re-usable shopping bag.
Do not for any reason leave your keys under wheel arches, seats, or in the ignition. If possible, try not to park in isolated or vulnerable areas, and make sure your windows are up.
It is an offence under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Regulation to leave a vehicle unlocked if the vehicle can be locked. The purpose of this legislation is not just to address vehicle offences, but also to ensure safety. An unlocked vehicle can easily be put into motion by a child if they gain access and manage to take the park brake off and play with the gears or transmission.
This same legislation stipulates that the keys must not be left in the ignition if there is no-one 16-years or older remaining in the vehicle, for this reason.
If you see people acting suspiciously around vehicles, call Triple-Zero for offences happening now, and PoliceLink on 131444 for non-urgent police matters.
