Plate up for safety

RINGWOOD Police will swap radar guns for screwdrivers on Saturday in a bid to curb number plate thefts.
For a gold-coin donation, car owners can get a set of one-way security screws which make theft of number plates more difficult and act as a deterrent against theft.
Sergeant Tony Van Gorp of Healesville Police recently advised local motorists to secure their number plates with the anti-theft screws after a number of plate thefts in Healesville.
He said the thieves used the stolen plates for a variety of offences ranging from petrol station drive-offs to getting a free pass on CityLink.
The donations will go to the SES, which will be assisting police and Neighbourhood Watch volunteers to remove the original number plate screws and refit the plates with the anti-theft screws.
Ringwood’s Operation Safe Plate coordinator, Sergeant Geoff Maclean, said the initiative was a perfect example of the police and community working together to combat crime.
He said people should notify police immediately if their registration plates were stolen.
Operation Safe Plate will take place at Eastland Shopping Centre on Saturday, 16 June, from 10am to 4pm.