YOU raised your concerns, and Bass Coast Police listened.
The new Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) vehicle, on loan to Bass Coast general duties police, is already catching criminals.
“The vehicle is on loan from Knox,” Sergeant Ryan explained, noting the deployment was driven not only by local police but also by a concerned community.
“It is a valuable tool that targets crime offenders as well as traffic offenders.”
Functioning like any police vehicle, the Volkswagen Passat is equipped with advanced technology that enhances police capabilities on patrol, scanning every vehicle it passes. Between Wonthaggi and Inverloch alone, that could mean scanning over 200 vehicles.
“We are focusing on the issues that are present in our communities, which include stolen vehicles, stolen number plates and people who are simply up to no good.
“This vehicle doesn’t replace good policing skills, the type of skills built over many years with your eyes and senses, but it’s an incredibly valuable tool that complements and enhances these skills.”
Whether parked or on the move, the vehicle emits an audible alert when it detects a vehicle of interest – this could include stolen plates, a stolen or unregistered vehicle, or a vehicle linked to a known offender.
While still capable of detecting speeding vehicles, its primary focus is enhancing community safety.
The vehicle has to date predominantly been utilised around Cape Paterson, Dalyston and main thoroughfare areas near Wonthaggi, including trawling shopping centre car parks and residential areas; however, there has also been one additional community service to come out of the neighbourhood policing scans.
“It allows us to quickly identify unregistered vehicles parked in front of properties. While this often points to stolen or dumped vehicles, sometimes it’s just a regular car. We can knock on the door and let the owner know – often, they’re unaware their rego has expired.”
As a reminder, though not as easy as checking your windscreen like yesteryear, you can easily check your rego status through the VicRoads website or myVicRoads app.
The vehicle is also available for police from across Bass Coast and South Gippsland to use and will be deployed in areas where people are simply up to no good.
Additionally, the vehicle’s technology syncs directly with police databases, meaning officers no longer need to return to the station to transfer data. It’s also fitted with an in-car camera.
And according to Sgt Ryan, “it’s also a very nice vehicle to drive.”
