New Plan To Cut Car Theft

Illawarra Mercury

Friday February 4, 2005

By ANTONY FIELD

WOLLONGONG is one of Australia's car theft capitals but organisers of a new theft-prevention program want to reverse the trend.

The city council yesterday launched Operation Bounce Back, funded by the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council and supported by Wollongong and Lake Illawarra police and insurance companies.

The theft reduction council is funding 20 such programs across Australia at a cost of $35,000 each.

The campaign is designed to prevent vehicle theft in Wollongong, which has a higher than average rate of car theft.

One in every 46 Wollongong households are affected by car theft each year, compared to one in 70 nationally.

A key feature of Operation Bounce Back is the free provision of 100 engine immobilisers to at-risk car owners identified with the help of vehicle insurers such as the NRMA.

The fully installed immobilisers will be directed to owners of older vehicles and those who have experienced car theft previously.

Project manager Gilly Katz, of Wollongong City Council, said the anti-theft devices were part of a three-pronged approach.

The other strategies were to educate the community and raise awareness about car security and to empower and re-educate at-risk youth to prevent them from committing car thefts.

Ms Katz said three out of four cars stolen were taken on the spur of the moment because they were accessible and easy, not as part of an organised car theft ring.

"The old bomb down the road is an opportune target," she said.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner and Southern Region Commander Terry Collins said Wollongong and Lake Illawarra police had been working to reduce car theft and were having success.

"There were 980 fewer cars stolen in the southern region last year ... but we can't afford to rest on our laurels," he said.

Mr Collins encouraged people not to leave valuables and keys in their cars and to park in well-lit, busy locations.

Lake Illawarra police also spoke about Project Energy, a program involving 12 young males, mainly car theft repeat offenders, which aims to teach the participants life skills and direct them away from crime.

Senior Sergeant Glen Broadhead said some were responsible for stealing up to 20 cars per night but this had not occurred since the project began.

Car theft statistics

? 1320 motor vehicles were reported stolen in Wollongong last year

? 65 per cent of those vehicles were manufactured before 1994

? These older vehicles tend to lack adequate security and as a result are popular theft targets

? A quarter of all cars stolen in Wollongong were Holden Commodores (1984-1992 models), Ford Falcons (1984-1990) and Ford Lasers (1984-1988)

? Other popular targets across Australia were the Toyota Corolla (1976-1995) and Hyundai Excel X3 (1995-1998)

© 2005 Illawarra Mercury

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