Make yourself safer and protect your home, your family, your belongings or your business by following some of these simple suggestions.
Vehicle safety
Keeping your vehicle secure and in well-lit areas can reduce its attractiveness to potential criminals.
Key tips:
- Lock all doors and close all windows, also when parking at home
- Remove all valuable items from your car
- Install anti-theft devices
- Secure your keys
- Park in a well-lit and secure area.
For more information on motor vehicle theft visit the Victoria Police website.
Number Plate Theft
To prevent number plate theft:
- Secure your number plates with anti-theft screws.
- Park in a secure and well-lit area.
- If your number plates have been stolen, you must obtain a new set of plates from VicRoads.
Report stolen number plates:
- If number plates are being stolen right now, the suspect is still on scene, or someone is in immediate danger, call Triple Zero (000).
- For non-emergencies, report through our Online Reporting service, or call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.
Prevent Home Burglaries
Follow these crime prevention tips to keep your home safe from burglars:
- Secure the property locking all doors and windows
- Secure valuables
- Make it look like someone is home when you are out or away
- Make it harder for thieves to get in without being seen by keeping your property clear of clutter and overgrown plants.
For more information visit the Victoria Police website.
For emergencies, call 000 (triple zero) immediately.
For non-urgent matters, contact Victoria Police on 131 444 or report online.
To share information that could help solve a crime, make an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers Victoria at 1800 333 000.
Crime prevention for businesses
Crime and anti-social behaviour can impact on the profitability of your business.
There are various crime prevention initiatives which are proving effective in helping to combat crime against businesses.
Check out those listed below, to see which best suits your business needs.
- Get to know your neighbouring businesses or start up a business-led network to keep informed, share insights, and collectively implement local initiatives.
- The Greater Dandenong Liquor Accord is a voluntary scheme which allows licensees to work together to reduce anti-social behaviour related to alcohol and substance misuse, improving the safety of their premises for customers, staff and the local community.
- Keep it tidy. It’s a fact that rubbish attracts rubbish. If a property is messy, some people won’t think twice about adding to it, graffitiing or simply hanging around in the area.
- Meet and greet. Shoplifters can always assess how easy it is to steal from a shop by how soon after they enter they are spoken to by a member of staff. It’s known as ‘the three-to-five second rule’. Greeting customers as they enter your premises can put off shoplifters because it sends out a message that you and your staff are paying attention. If a thief thinks they've been spotted they're more likely to leave.
- Report it. Victoria Police can enforce laws relating to crime and anti-social behaviour in public spaces.
Call the Police Assistant Line on 131 444 to report non-urgent crime or 000 in an emergency.
