Thief captured on camera but case unsolved

The boss at St Martins Garage figured a thief’s number would soon be up after security camera footage framed him stealing plates from vehicles parked outside the workshop.

Yet a month after the overnight raid, he is still waiting for police to solve the case - in spite of providing them with the registration details of the car the man drove onto the Centaurus Rd premises.

Security camera footage captured the man removing plates from two garage-owned vehicles before fixing one set to his car.

"We got a face view of the guy, the original number plates of the car he drove in on - it wasn’t reported stolen - and we’ve got him putting our plates on to his car," said Darin, the garage owner, who did not want his surname used.

"We gave it all to the police and it’s still not enough for the cops to do anything about it."

Darin reported the incident via the police 105 non-emergency email on May 3 and was frustrated at not having received an update.

"They need to be on to it straightaway, we’ve given them all the information," he said.

"It’s not often they (a thief) would drive their own car in here with their number plates on."

Darin said the stolen plates had been cancelled and replacements had been organised.

He estimated the plates were stolen in about three minutes; security screws would now be used on plates of vehicles left outside the business to hinder other potential thieves.

"It’s cost us time and money and more needs to be done about it," he said.

"Where’s the community cops we used to have to sort that stuff?"

Comment has been being sought from police.