Safe Plate heads to Southside this weekend

ACT Policing will hold its second and final Project Safe Plate event for 2015 this weekend aimed at helping reduce vehicle registration plate theft by providing free tamper-proof screws to motorists.

This year’s Project Safe Plate is being billed as a battle between North and Southside motorists with the challenge being which side of town can have the most vehicles fitted with tamper-proof screws.

The first Project Safe Plate event held on the Northside in June saw 361 vehicles fitted with tamper-proof screws.  

Superintendent South Rob Wilson said he was supremely confident that Southside motorists would turn up in large numbers this Saturday and beat that target.

“The challenge has been set by Northside motorists and I’m calling on the Southside to rally in big numbers this weekend to set a new record,” Superintendent Wilson said.

“While it’s great to have some healthy competition, our main aim is to stop thieves from stealing number plates and using them for criminal activity.”

“We know that stolen number plates are used to commit crimes, such as petrol drive-offs, burglaries and traffic offences.”

“By installing tamper-free screws to number plate’s motorists are reducing the opportunity for criminals to source one of their tools and commit crime.”

Last year 858 registration plates were reported stolen in the ACT.

This Saturday (August 8) between 10am-4pm, motorists are encouraged to bring their vehicles to the corner of Matilda and Callam Street in Phillip (opposite the Hellenic Club), where police officers, recruits, volunteers, members from Crime Reduction, Media and Public Engagement and AFP Graduates will be on hand to fit vehicle plates with tamper-free screws.

Constable Kenny Koala and his friends will also be there to entertain the kids while they wait in their cars for the screws to be changed, and you can pick up a free ice scraper for the frosty mornings and some Constable Kenny giveaways.