Police search for mystery man after thief stole more than 100 number plates in Brighton-Le-Sands
Cops desperate for mystery man after thief left a trail of carnage through posh suburb when he ripped more than 100 license plates from parked cars
- Police looking for thief who stole license plates
- More than 100 suburban cars were affected
Police are looking for a thief who stole more than 100 license plates from parked cars during an early morning crime spree.
Between 1am and 5am on Sunday, the number plates of more than 100 vehicles in the Brighton-Le-Sands area, 8 miles south of Sydney, were removed and stolen.
Streets targeted included Bay, O’Neill, Bay, Princess, Bruce and Gordon Streets, Crawford and Teralba Roads, Brighton and Moate Avenues.
As the investigation continues, police have released CCTV footage of a man they want to speak to who may be able to help with their investigation.
The man is described as having a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, between 25 and 30 years old, of average build, with a bald head and a dark beard.
Police have now released CCTV footage of a man they want to speak to after more than 100 cars in Brighton-Le-Sands had their number plates stolen on Sunday
Streets targeted included Bay, O’Neill, Bay, Princess, Bruce and Gordon Streets, Crawford and Teralba Roads, Brighton and Moate Avenues in the Brighton-Le-Sands area (stock image pictured)
He is shown in a black T-shirt, gray shorts and thongs.
A video uploaded to social media over the weekend showed a four-street massacre in Brighton-Le-Sands, with thieves completely stealing car number plates or bending them out of shape.
License plates are often targeted by criminals who place them on other vehicles to avoid getting caught when breaking the law.
The police can then issue fines or even arrest the unsuspecting motorists whose license plates have been stolen.
Community groups are urging motorists to increase both security and anti-theft measures to curb the outbreak of license plate crime.
Since the pandemic, number plate thefts in Australia have skyrocketed, as criminals get smarter and move on to siphoning fuel and breaking into cars to steal belongings.
While the latter continues to happen, police and RACV have warned drivers to secure their license plates to avoid receiving thousands of overdue fines in the mail.
A video uploaded to social media showed cars in Brighton-Le-Sands with their number plates removed
Police and community groups are urging motorists to increase both security and anti-theft measures to curb the surge in criminal activity
“Offenders use stolen number plates on cars to help them commit other crimes without being tracked down and identified,” a RACV spokesman said in a statement.
āThe Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) reports that more than 50 percent of fuel thefts and various other crimes involve stolen number plates.ā
In addition to thieves using other people’s license plates and registration to get away without paying for fuel, there are other serious crimes such as burglaries, drug trafficking, and evading speeding, parking, and toll charges.
Anyone with information is asked to call police.