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| | Stolen car surge for dealers | GoAuto News,
Sandringham
by John Mellor
| 24 Apr 2024 | | General News - Page 17 - 493 words - ID 2063624722 - Photo: Yes - Type: News Item - Size: 614.00cm2 | |
Industrial-scale theft of cars and motorcycles from dealerships in recent crime wave
THE Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) is warning its members that Licensed Motor Car Traders (LMCTs) have experienced an upsurge of vehicles that have been stolen from dealerships.
The chamber says that in one instance this week one dealership in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne had 15 vehicles stolen overnight.
GoAutoNews Premium has been told the thieves carried the cars away four at a time with a number of repeat visits to the dealership during the night.
It was believed that perpetrators were able to force entry into the dealership and gain access to the dealership's key safe. The safe was reportedly forced open.
The VACC has had reports from another dealer in Melbourne's north who lost two cars overnight although these cars were stolen without keys.
In other reports, an industrial machinery dealer has been targeted with an expensive excavator stolen overnight.
In other instances, motorcycle dealers this week are reporting an increase of individuals not returning motorcycles after test rides. Dealers report that thieves are focusing on the BMW S1000RR as the preferred model of theft.
The industry policy advisor of the VACC Michael McKenna told GoAutoNews Premium that car theft from dealers "is in epidemic proportions in Melbourne".
In the wake of the warning to dealers the chamber has received many calls from other dealers reporting increased theft from their businesses.
"When you get that level of people calling you, it is probably a fivefold problem," he said.
"With the motorcycles, the same guy keeps going around to do test rides. He shows a licence and then takes off.
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Continued from previous page The motorcycle thief is brazen. He uses a licence that is thought to be fake as a form of rider ID." Mr McKenna said that in addition to recording licence details, motorcycle dealers should take an imprint of a credit card and check it is an authorised card before allowing a motorcycle to be taken on a test drive.
VicPol advice to LMCTs: VACC has been consulting with the Victoria Police (VicPol) Vehicle Crime Squad State-Anti Gangs Division Crime Command which has asked LMCTs to tighten up on security of after-hours access to keys for dealer and customer vehicles left on the premises.
It is a view of VicPol that keys should either be taken off-site after hours or placed in a key safe that is completely out of the line of sight for any person not familiar with the business.
VACC advice: VACC recommends that dealerships immediately review their system of key security as well as review who has access to that key security system.
VACC also recommends that all LMCTs have adequate insurance coverage for such instances.
The VACC said that if dealers have cars stolen it will work with dealers and will escalate the issue to the Vehicle Crime Squad State-Anti Gangs Division Crime Command.
Caption Text:
Michael McKenna
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