Protect your car plates

Baw Baw Neighbourhood Watch, with assistance of Warragul SES, will run a safety plate day in Warragul on Saturday as part of national crime prevention month in October.

Community members can take their vehicles to the event and have their standard number plate screws replaced with tamper-resistant fasteners (safety screws) designed to reduce the risk of thefts of car registration plates.

A donation of $5 is requested to cover the cost of the safety screws.

The event will be held at Bunnings Warragul on Saturday, between 9am and noon.
Many safety screw events have been held in the Baw Baw Shire in the past 10 years with more than 1000 cars having safety screws fitted.

If needed in the future, the safety screws can be removed with a specialised screw driver with the tool held by Baw Baw Neighbourhood Watch.Last year, registration plate theft soared in Victoria to its highest level on record, rising in close tandem with vehicle theft.

If registration plates are stolen it can be costly to get new plates and time consuming in contacting relevant authorities.

If your registration plates are stolen, do the following:
Report the theft
Contact police - report non-urgent property theft online via the Victoria Police Online Reporting system or call 131 444. Only call 000 if it is an emergency.
Save details - keep your police report number or receipt handy as it will be needed to get replacements and clear tolls or fines.
Remove remaining plates
Take off any remaining plate on the car so you do not drive with a mismatched set or expose yourself to further theft. Driving without plates risks a fine.
Get new plates at VicRoads
Visit a VicRoads Customer Service Centre in person with proof of identity because stolen plates cannot be replaced online.
Notify other providers including car insurance, toll operators and roadside assistance.