Victoria Police has recovered more than $1 million worth of stolen vehicles during an operation targeting cars fitted with cloned number plates, with a Toyota LandCruiser, Nissan Patrol and Toyota HiLux among the haul.
In a statement, Victoria Police said 79 arrests had been made since the Frankston Crime Investigation Unit’s Targeted Enforcement Crew (TEC) was established in March 2026.
The TEC’s goal was “to disrupt offending and prevent thieves from trying to fly under the radar by using fraudulent number plates”, with officers working alongside the police Air Wing and Dog Squad.
It comes as vehicle theft in Victoria sits at its highest level in more than two decades, with the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) recently reporting $243 million worth of motor vehicle insurance claims in the state over the past year — more than every other state combined.
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Those arrested include a 32-year-old Carrum Downs man accused of manufacturing high-end cloned number plates, while other offenders were allegedly caught displaying stolen plates and carrying multiple cloned plates.
A 38-year-old Ivanhoe man is due to face Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court today, July 21, accused of manufacturing a whopping 875 sets of cloned number plates.
The practice of cloning number plates involves criminals producing copies of a legitimate vehicle’s registration plates and fitting them to another vehicle – often stolen – to conceal its true identity and avoid detection.
While cloned plates are frequently used to avoid responsibility for offences such as speeding, they are also used by organised crime groups involved in aggravated burglaries, fire-bombings, drive-by shootings and drug trafficking.
Cloned number plates are commonly fitted to a vehicle of the same make, model and colour as the legitimate vehicle to reduce the chances of attracting police attention.
The practice can result in innocent motorists receiving infringement notices for offences they didn’t commit, particularly if they’re unaware their number plates have been cloned.
“Having your number plates cloned is not only an inconvenience, but it can also be costly to have them replaced,” Frankston Investigation and Response Inspector Melissa Nixon said in a statement.
“We strongly advise anyone who is trying to sell a car or posting images of their car online to blur the number plate, to avoid falling victim to anyone scanning social media for registration plates to clone.
“You can also install anti-theft screws, which make it very hard for thieves to steal your plates quickly and without damaging them. These are free at police stations or available for a small price at hardware stores.
“The success of the team in such a short period of time has already made a large dent in alleged syndicates across the southeast, and we will continue working around the clock to disrupt organised criminal activity.”
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