Access given to stolen car data
A public stolen car database has been launched by Queensland Police in a bid to help officers track down thieves, giving people previously off-limits access to data on every stolen car in the state.
The online portal gives the general public access to every vehicle reported stolen in Queensland, including the make, model, colour, suburb it was stolen, and registration number.
As of Wednesday morning, there were 526 cars listed as stolen across Queensland in the past 28 days. The initiative comes after unlawful use of motor vehicle offences on the Gold Coast reached a 20-year high of 2785 last year, which equates to more than 50 a week.
Youth crime deputy commissioner Shane Chelepy said the new feature was designed to empower the community to help police with investigations.
“Information from the public plays a crucial part in investigations, and this gives the community greater tools to tell police the active movements of stolen vehicles and the actions of those behind the wheel,” Mr Chelepy said.
The list of stolen cars on the website will be updated daily, and the public can even search for a car if they suspect it is stolen. Youth crime taskforce acting assistant commissioner Andrew Massingham said the portal allowed the public to “open investigative doorways for us like never before”.
“You would have seen quite publicly over the last few weeks our clear intentions in relation to the investigation of those persons involved in the theft of motor vehicles,” Mr Massingham said.
“We hope that the release of this portal will enable people to identify suspicious vehicles or persons that may be in their street, it also empowers them as business owners to take precautions should they identify a vehicle nearby they identify as being stolen.
“This is about keeping our community safe.”