Operation bounce back to halt thieves
Media Release from Cr Oscar Yildiz JP, Moreland Mayor
Tuesday 29 March 2011, Moreland City Council
Moreland Mayor Oscar Yildiz visited the VicWide Towing Depot this morning to kick start Council’s Operation Bounce Back campaign in a bid to prevent vehicle theft and immobilise older vehicles.
“This sends out a clear message that we are serious about community safety and the property of law abiding citizens,” Mayor Yildiz said.
“We will work closely with the Fawkner Traffic Management Unit of Victoria Police to ensure this campaign is successful.”
The campaign is one of thirty projects being funded across Australia in the 2010-11 financial year by the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council’s (NMVTRC) partnership with local crime prevention partners.
The NMVTRC’s Executive Director, Ray Carroll, said, “Operation Bounce Back is a great example of how local government and police can work together to tackle a major crime issue. Importantly, the project really confronts the key issue that drives local statistics – the high number of older, unsecured cars that are vulnerable to theft.
“Around four in five cars stolen in Moreland are older sedans: the family runabout or your teenager’s first car. Many of these thefts could have been avoided had these cars been protected by an engine immobiliser.”
Moreland’s Operation Bounce Back program is giving away one-hundred Australian Standards approved engine immobilisers, fully-installed, to owners of older vehicles and those who have been a victim of vehicle theft.
Information days where residents can learn about car theft prevention and immobiliser voucher giveaways will take place at Glenroy Station on 5 April (7.30 am - 9.30 am) and 6 April (4.30 pm – 6.30 pm) as well as the Waterfield Street car park in Coburg on 7 April (11.30 am – 2 pm).
“Most car owners do not consider the inconveniences to family, work and social lives that having a car stolen can cause. Unfortunately in the last year over 450 drivers of older cars in Moreland found out that both the financial and emotional impact can be quite significant,” Mr Carroll said.
Motorists that miss out on a free immobiliser can still have an Australian Standards approved immobiliser installed for around $200 at a participating installer.
The NMVTRC is an initiative of all Australian governments and the insurance industry.
