Spate of car thefts

Police are investigating a series of thefts from motor vehicles that took place across the region over the past fortnight.
Between the hours of 2am and 9am on Sunday, August 9, a LDV vehicle was searched through in Shae Cres, Drouin.
Police said the vehicle was potentially left unlocked and thieves left with a wallet and the car's service manual.
An attempted theft from a blue 2023 Subaru Forester parked at West Gippsland Hospital occurred on Saturday, August 10, between 1pm and 9:30pm. Offenders smashed the front window in a bid to steal from the vehicle, but nothing of value was taken.
The same car park saw a front number plate stolen from a navy Mazda 2, reading CDI 999 between 6am and 1pm last Wednesday. The back registration plate also was found hanging by a single screw, suggesting the offender was disturbed or ran out of time.
Police said inquiries were ongoing and CCTV was being reviewed. More registration plates were removed at a residential address on Sargeant St Warragul. Between 5am and 1:30pm on August 12, offenders entered the property and removed a back plate, registration ACXW 3110, from a silver Nissan Qashqui.
In Neerim South, a separate theft from a vehicle was reported outside a home on Red Hill Rd. The owner of a brown Nissan Patrol, registration ZFZ 598, returned home at about 4.20pm on August 12 and later noticed the front driver's door slightly ajar.
The next morning, the victim discovered an ipod nano and generic-brand wrist watch had been stolen. CCTV captured a person with a torch entering the vehicle at about 3:50am.
As part of their response, police relocated the ongoing roadside message boards warning residents to "Lock your cars" this week, to Copelands Rd Warragul, hoping to better target newer housing estates in Warragul North.
Officers also reminded drivers that Baw Baw police stations regularly stock complimentary one-way "theft-proof" number plate screws, to prevent further thefts.