Lock-down lesson

By Jade Lawton
PAKENHAM’S Crime Prevention Officer has called on residents to help police stamp out opportunistic crime.
Leading Senior Constable Eddy MacDonald, Crime Prevention Officer for Region 5, Division 2 – which includes the Cardinia Shire, City of Casey and Greater Dandenong – said residents could take simple measures to reduce their chances of falling victim to thieves.
“For crime to occur, there has to be a criminal, but there also has to be an opportunity,” he said.
“To prevent this type of crime, all you need to do is make it not so easy for the criminal.”
Sen Const MacDonald took the News on a trip around Pakenham in an unmarked police car on Tuesday, randomly checking 10 parked cars to demonstrate how some parked vehicles were more attractive to thieves.
Theft from motor vehicles is a rising crime in the Cardinia Shire, with reports increasing by more than 11 per cent over the past financial year.
Several of the cars checked by Sen Const MacDonald had valuable items clearly visible to anyone walking by.
One car had personal information and a diary strewn across the passenger seat, which thieves could use for identity fraud. Another had a purse on the passenger’s seat.
Others had a GPS unit and mobile phone visible; and two motorists had removed their GPS units but left the cradles attached to the windscreen, indicating the GPS units could still be in the car.
“So I know there is a GPS unit in there – one of the really expensive ones,” Sen Const MacDonald said.
Sen Const MacDonald also advised against entering home addresses in GPS units, as thieves would then be able to target the victim’s home.
“Do what I do and put your closest post office in as your home address,” he said.
Sen Const MacDonald said that while police often recovered stolen goods, it could be difficult reuniting the owners with their possessions.
“Property is really hard to recover if you don’t record the serial number. Sometimes we recover large amounts of property but there are no serial numbers, or (the victim) doesn’t even have a picture,” he said.
“Anything you can do to reduce opportunities for criminals is a good idea.”