motorists offered free screws

Motorists offered free screws



June 18, 2008

THE New South Wales Government is spending $15,000 on one-way screws to prevent stolen number plates being used in petrol thefts from service stations.

NSW Police Minister David Campbell said the number-plate screws would be distributed free to motorists.

"Motorists are stealing number plates and putting them on their own vehicles to avoid detection during service station drive-offs," Mr Campbell said today.

"The one-way screws can make it very difficult for people to steal number plates because they screw in but cannot be screwed out."

Petrol theft was hurting service station owners and contributing to further petrol price rises, he said.

In the 12 months to February, petrol station thefts increased by almost 800 on the previous year, to 11,556.

"We have taken this step of distributing the screws because the best solution, which is pre-pay fuel, is being rejected by the big oil companies and supermarket chains," Mr Campbell said.