Police care to patrol – Police ran Operation Care last week. The operation has been running for three years and will be ongoing.Picture: Stewart Chambers

By Lia Bichel
SHERIFFS joined the Casey Highway Patrol and local police on 6 April to conduct Operation Care in Cranbourne and surrounds.
The police operation, which is now in its third year, is a highly visible roadblock-style operation targeting traffic and crime related offences, including drug trafficking, smuggling of stolen goods, unlicensed and drink drivers and motorists not wearing seatbelts.
Casey Highway Patrol Leading Senior Constable Allen Inderwisch said while police did not detect any criminal offences, they did detect 21 traffic offences with the most notable involving learner drivers.
“We are still seeing learner drivers who are not accompanied by a driver or not displaying their L-plates,” he said.
“We also saw unregistered cars and unlicensed drivers. It is a common problem. They think they can drive and get away with it, but roadblocks like these are very effective. We set them up anywhere and get a high hit rate.”
Leading Sen Con Inderwisch said sheriffs also had a high strike rate during the five-hour operation, executing 191 warrants and recovering a total of $62,224 in unpaid fines.
He warned Casey residents that police would be out in force and people not obeying the law would be caught.
“We are in the third year of running the operation and people need to be aware it will be ongoing,” Leading Sen Con Inderwisch said.