March 2, 2019
Thieves aiming to steal number plates from South Burnett residents will be feeling a little bit more frustrated following two recent “Turn the Screws” days organised by the Murgon and Kumbia Neighbourhood Watch groups.
The Murgon event was held on February 23 opposite Clifton Motors in Macalister Street.
Neighbourhood Watch volunteers and local police turned out to fit special “one-way” screws to residents’ vehicles.
It was Kingaroy’s turn on Saturday, with volunteers gathered outside Repco in Youngman Street.
There was even a sausage sizzle, organised by the Kingaroy Scouts.
The event proved so popular the volunteers had to send out for more of the special screws.
One-way screws can be fitted with a normal screwdriver but once tightened cannot be removed without using a special tool or by drilling them out.
Thieves target number plates for many reasons: to disguise vehicles during petrol drive-offs, during robberies, and in the vain hope that police won’t notice the wrong plates are fixed to an unregistered vehicle.
The theft always causes a headache for the car owner.
New plates have to be bought, insurance companies notified and then there’s the speed camera fines which can arrive in the mail.
Officer-in-charge of Kingaroy Police, Senior Sergeant Dave Tierney, said people often didn’t notice that their plates had been stolen until they were contacted by police after a fuel drive-off.
|
|
|
