Wednesday, 18 February 2026

 Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (13:05): My constituency question is to the Minister for Police. Minister, my constituent wants to know why the Allan Labor government has allowed organised car thieves to openly buy key programming devices online to steal Victorians’ cars with impunity. On Sunday Victoria Police confirmed that a serial offender used these devices to steal 25 vehicles across Melbourne, including in suburbs like Narre Warren and Frankston. In fact I believe they were at Fountain Gate shopping centre, where car theft is already surging. Yet under current law these sophisticated devices can still be purchased by anyone, not just licensed locksmiths, and this is a flaw in the current legislation. After I tabled a petition last sitting week calling for locksmiths to be properly defined under the Private Security Act 2004, will you finally act and restrict the sale of these devices to registered locksmiths, or will you continue to leave Victorians exposed to crime, higher insurance premiums and loss of property? Victorians are sick of rising theft and registered locksmiths – (Time expired)