Juveniles 14 and 16 accused of stealing from motor vehicles in Geraldton, police remind community to lock up

As opportunistic crime continues to occur across the Greater Geraldton region, police are reminding the community to lock their vehicles after two juveniles aged 16 and 14 allegedly stole from several cars. Geraldton police recently charged two juvenile boys with 19 stealing and damage charges after seeing a surge in reports relating to stolen property from cars. Mid West-Gascoyne District engagement and support manager OIC Sen. Sgt Russell Hurst said there was a rise in opportunistic crime in which people were opening unlocked car doors or smashing windows to gain access to something inside a vehicle. “Geraldton police have been working very hard over the last couple of days and they’ve arrested two juveniles and those juveniles have been charged with 19 offences,” he said. “We ask the community to target harden their vehicles, target harden anything inside their vehicles. “There’s nothing worse than going out and trying to remember what was in your car and everything has been moved around.” According to WA Police, 70 per cent of cars are stolen with their own keys. Youth policing and community engagement co-ordinator Sgt Michael Hall recommended never leaving keys on tables, benches, or key hooks, and while out and about, always park at secure facilities and remove your keys from ignition when not in use. “Always lock your vehicle, make sure you have your keys with you, don’t leave spare keys in your vehicle, try and make it unattractive,” he said.