RECENT Victoria Police intelligence shows that the Whittlesea Police Service Area (PSA) is among the top three for key cloning rates across the state as officers crack down on offenders.
Victoria Police said it has seized more than 900 key cloning devices from car thieves across the state in the past year as the force proactively mails safety advice to owners whose vehicles are at particular risk.
The main areas targeted included the Melton, Whittlesea and Hume PSAs.
Key cloning is a practice used by thieves to mimic or clone the keys of a vehicle using technology which has the capability to override car security systems.
Toyota Corollas and Landcruisers, Holden Commodores, Hiluxs, RAV4s and Subaru Imprezas are among the most targeted vehicles, with thieves especially targeting push start-ignition cars.
Inspector from the Diamond Creek Police Station Tim Cron said residents of the Whittlesea area need to be vigilant.
“Car theft remains a significant concern for us and we know how much of a disruption it causes,” he said.
“Police are seeing on-board diagnostic devices showing up more frequently during search warrants and during intercepts of suspicious vehicles.
“Car thieves only need one opportunity.”
Inspector Cron added that simple actions such as keeping valuables out of sight and ensuring the vehicle is locked before you leave it can deter would-be criminals.
“Vehicles that have push start ignitions we recommend for these car owners to install an on-board diagnostic port lock to prevent offenders connecting a reprogramming device to a vehicle,” he said.
“We also recommend for car owners to use a steering wheel lock – which can add an extra layer of protection.”
Both locks are affordable and can be self-installed.
Victoria Police also recommend parking your vehicle off the street and in a garage if possible.
Police intelligence reveals almost half (43 per cent) of these key cloning devices were seized by police at search warrants and during intercepts of suspicious vehicles in the North West Metro Region, which encompasses a significant percentage of the City of Whittlesea’s population.
The remainder of the devices were seized in the Southern Metro Region (23 per cent), followed by the Eastern Region (21 per cent) and the Western Region (11 per cent).
Police estimate more than 10,000 vehicles are stolen using these key cloning devices each year – equating to 30 cars being taken in this way every day across the state.
Roughly 80 per cent of cars stolen in the past year are recovered.
Victoria Police said it is continuing to work hard to track down car thieves and make arrests, with targeted proactive patrols in hotspots including residential streets and train stations.
Officers have been proactively letter dropping and talking to car owners once they park their vehicle to provide them with car theft safety advice.
People can now check whether a car is stolen using the online tool on the Victoria Police website, which was recently launched to assist police in recovering stolen vehicles sooner.
The public can enter the registration, make and model of a suspect vehicle to check if it is listed as stolen and then report its location to police.
Stolen vehicles should be reported to the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.
If you require immediate police assistance always phone Triple Zero (000).
