Police put the screws on rego plates

Release Date: Monday, July 30 2012, 10:30 AM

More than 500 Canberra car owners will be better protected against registration plate theft after Project Safe Plate was conducted in Tuggeranong at the weekend.

ACT Policing conducted the program from 9am to 1pm on Saturday (July 28) in the carpark of the Tuggeranong Hyperdome. More than 25 officers, police recruits, staff and volunteers were involved, with 528 cars processed during the four hours.

Sergeant Tania Shakeshaft, from Tuggeranong Station, said the free community program, in which motorists had the existing screws on their registration plates front and rear re-secured by tamper-resistant screws, was a resounding success.

“Motorists were very appreciative of this free service,” Sergeant Shakeshaft said.

 “Police have identified that stolen registration plates are often used by offenders to commit further offences including petrol drive-offs, burglaries and traffic offences. It’s important that if people find they have a number plate missing or stolen from their vehicle, that they report it to police on 131-444.”

Motorists who were unable to attend Safe Plate can obtain their tamper-resistant screws from the Tuggeranong Police Station.