Bayswater Police urge vigilance over tap-and-go credit and bank cards

WITH rising levels of credit card fraud and a spate of thefts from cars in the area, Bayswater Police is urging residents to take preventative measures.

Officer-in-charge John Waghorn said Bayswater Police followed up on average 12 to 18 incidents a week where cards were stolen from cars or in home burglaries.

Offenders then made use of tap-and-go availability and used the card about four to eight times in a three to four-hour period, resulting in at least 48 fraudulent transactions every week.

“They might steal the card from a burglary or motor vehicle in my patch but crooks can use those stolen credit cards in transactions right across the metropolitan area,” he said.

“We had kids going through bags at Bayswater Waves and heading straight down to Morley Galleria and committing four, five fraudulent transactions.

“It is a very significant issue for us and does cause a great deal of inconvenience to the property owners.”

Sgt Waghorn said a home robbery in Mt Lawley last week resulted in a stolen credit card being used fraudulently six times including at a 24-hour petrol station on Guildford Road and businesses south of the river.

He said they noticed thefts from cars were mainly from those parked in Maylands, Bayswater, Inglewood and Mt Lawley.

“Most of those homes were traditionally built to hold one to two vehicles, mostly one,” he said.

“Vehicles are forced to park on the road, driveways or front lawns which makes them easy targets.”

Sgt Waghorn said he urged residents not to leave wallets and purses in parked motor vehicles.

“In our area, the river foreshore down by Bayswater is a challenge for us because people often park their vehicles for periods of time unattended,” he said.

“It’s easily avoidable if people secure their wallets and handbags in places that aren’t obvious; it would go a long way in reducing the numbers of thefts reported.

“Even in your own home, secure your wallets and your handbags.”