My Police column: the theft trend revving up crime on Coast and how you can help stall it

The Sunshine Coast District recorded 402 number plate thefts last calendar year and this year 148 have been reported so far.

Number plate theft is of great concern to police, as they are being used by people to commit more serious crimes such as robbery, break and enter and stealing offences.

What many people do not realise is that offenders use stolen number plates in an attempt to make their identification more difficult.

Local police would like all motorists to look at ways of preventing the theft of number plates from their vehicles.

Help keep independent and fair Sunshine Coast news coming by subscribing to our free daily news feed. All it requires is your name and email. See SUBSCRIBE at the top of this article 

One-way screws are available free of charge from the Nambour, Noosa, Sippy Downs, Maroochydore, Beerwah and Kawana Police Stations and can also be purchased from auto retailers.

The removal tools for these screws are restricted for sale and are available at local police stations.  Please help us to reduce crime by securing your number plates with screws that cannot be removed with conventional tools.

Whilst police are interacting with the community it is often asked what can be done about hooning up and down resident streets.

Police and community members are aware of the dangers associated with hooning.

Not only the loss of control of a speeding vehicle, but also the distraction associated with over revving engines.

There are stiff penalties associated with hooning and the community can assist to identify and change attitudes to unaccepted driving habits.

You can report hoons online if it is non urgent, or if urgent 000.

The information we require:

• What the vehicles make and model is;
• What hooning activity the vehicle was doing;
• The registration plates;
• The date, time and where the vehicle was.

By reporting a hoon you are helping police identify the offender and hopefully stopping them hurting themselves or someone else.

This column is compiled by Acting Sergeant Sandy Atkinson of the Sunshine Coast District Crime Prevention Unit.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.

Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.