Western and inner-city suburbs police begin three-month operation as thefts from cars continue

ON-GOING thefts from cars in western and inner-city suburbs are so significant police have started a three-month operation to combat the scourge.

“The public can help us, and get the maximum community dividend from the operation, by securing or removing their valuables in their cars,” Sergeant Carol Vernon said.

Car break-in hotspots are Kings Park, streets near the Mounts Bay Road blue boatshed in Crawley, Nedlands foreshore and UWA carparks, near Subiaco liquor shops and all major shopping centres.

By Thursday last week, 18 car break-ins were reported to Wembley police, including a bag and a jacket taken from a Range Rover in Dodd Street, Subiaco on September 19.

Overnight on September 21, a laptop, sunglasses and a telephone charger were taken from a car on Park Street, Subiaco.

Police will use information from all car break-in reports for the operation’s database to combat the repeating crimes and perpetrators.

Sgt Vernon said it was vital the public reported all incidents and noted that important information such as the precise location of the vehicle and any nearby CCTV, would create an accurate picture of the scourge.

However, car owners had to take the growing threat of break-ins to their vehicles seriously.

“In some cases people learn , and they respond to a theft, but we want them to think beforehand and take measures which put their valuables out of risk,” Sgt Vernon said.

In Perth, Senior Sergeant Craig Davis said there had been a car break-in in Kings Park averaging every three days for three months until September.

However, Sgt Davis said the crimes were down 25 per cent from a spate last year.

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