Huge Inroads In Car Theft Battle

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday July 2, 2005

By ANTONY FIELD

A SIX-MONTH campaign to reduce car theft in Wollongong has put the brakes on the costly crime, reducing the incidence by 50 per cent in some areas.

Organisers of Operation Bounce Back, a $35,000 program, have hailed the multi-agency effort as a success and although the project officially ended on Thursday they are hoping it can expand to other parts of the Illawarra.

The program was one of 20 funded by the National Motor Theft Reduction Council through Australia, targeting areas such as Wollongong - with higher than average car-theft rate.

Wollongong City Council, Wollongong and Lake Illawarra police, insurance companies, and the theft reduction council worked together on the operation.

Strategies to reduce car theft included offering 100 free engine immobilisers for victims of car theft, and using police volunteers to identify motorists who left valuables in their cars.

Lake Illawarra police were also continuing to direct young males away from crime through Project Energy.

Lake Illawarra Highway Patrol supervisor Sergeant Brian Pedersen said the operation was definitely a success.

"It has not only affected vehicle theft in the target areas of Bellambi, Dapto and Wollongong, in conjunction with other police strategies, it has had a flow-on effect on vehicle theft in Lake Illawarra as a whole," he said.

In some areas, such as Dapto, there had been a 50 per cent reduction in car thefts.

Lake Illawarra crime prevention officer Constable Lorraine Sligar said police volunteers had checked cars parked in public places in Dapto. When they saw valuable items in clear view, they contacted the owners and warned them of the dangers.

Const Sligar said the number of cars with valuables in view decreased from one in 12 vehicles to one in 125.

Project manager Gilly Katz said the aim was to educate the community about car theft and to provide financial assistance to people to improve car security. This had been achieved.

But Ms Katz was disappointed that only only 55 people took up the offer of the free car-immobiliser; she had hoped all 100 would be taken.

Operation Bounce Back

* In some parts of Wollongong, such as Dapto, a 50 per cent reduction in car theft

* Numbers of people leaving valuables in their cars reduced from 1 in 12 to 1 in 125

* 300 inquiries about the program

* 75 young people attended workshops on the consequences of car theft

General statistics on stolen cars

* 1320 motor vehicles were reported stolen in Wollongong last year

* 65 per cent of those vehicles were manufactured before 1994

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

* Australia's most stolen cars last year were the Holden Commodore VL, VN and VK models, followed by the Ford Falcon XF and EA II, Hyundai Excel X3 and Toyota Tarago

© 2005 Illawarra Mercury

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