By ANEEKA SIMONIS
HIGH rates of car and number plate theft in the Cardinia Shire region have been reported in the past week.
Three cars were stolen from within the region in the week leading to Sunday 17 April and close to a dozen number plates were also pinched.
Meanwhile, a car stolen from Sandown Racecourse was located in Pakenham.
It was smashed and tampered with when discovered by police at Cobalt Court, Pakenham, after 8pm on Monday 11 April.
The three cars were stolen from properties in Pakenham, Emerald and Heath Hill.
Police are searching for a green Holden Ute bearing registration ZQR266 stolen from a Fairway Road, Emerald property between 5am and 7.35am on Thursday 14 April.
The next day, a red Holden Berlina bearing registration ZWK602 was stolen from a Dunbarton Drive, Pakenham property between 9am on Friday 15 April and 7.30am the next morning.
The locked car was parked outside the victim’s home at the time of the theft.
A vintage yellow 1976 Ford Ute was also pinched from a vacant Heath Hill address sometime before Monday 11 April.
Police are investigating the car thefts in addition to multiple registration plate thefts during the week.
Police received 10 reports of number plate theft during the week.
Registration plates were overwhelmingly stripped from cars parked in Pakenham, accounting for eight of the 10 reported thefts.
Cars parked in Officer and Beaconsfield were also targeted.
Anyone with information about these incidents are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
