Case Studies
The NMVTRC is continually impressed by the dedication and innovation of all the municipalities involved in Operation Bounce Back. The following case studies are examples of some of the successful initiatives employed by a selection of OBB participants. Project officers' contact details are also provided if you wish to find out more information about any of the initiatives.
Glenorchy City Council - TAS
Contact: Ross Park, Coordinator, Youth & Community Safety Development, Ph. 03 6216 6780, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Glenorchy City Council has been involved in the NMVTRC's Operation Bounce Back (OBB) program since its inception in 2004. Glenorchy has run a number of successful initiatives over the years, which has seen the Council earn three awards, the most recent being the Certificate of Merit at the 2007 Annual Crime and Violence Prevention Awards for tackling vehicle theft through community partnerships and engagement. Previous awards include the 2007 Local Government Association of Tasmania Award for Excellence and the 2006 International Association of Auto Theft Investigators' Outstanding Achievement Award.
Glenorchy City Council credit project partnerships for the success of their OBB program. The Council works closely with police and neighbouring local government area Clarence City Council, to spread the car theft awareness messages. The Council also utilises their Safer Communities Committee as an overall steering group for the project, which allows for smaller teams of people to work on the different initiatives and to report back to a guiding committee to ensure the project's overall objectives are being met.
The Council has continued to successfully implement a variation of both new and 'tried and tested' initiatives each year to maintain community interest in the program, and as a result OBB has become a very recognisable initiative in the area.
Initiatives
Some initiatives designed to raise community awareness and immobilise older vehicles introduced by Glenorchy City Council include -
- Developing a series of car theft prevention advertisements with victims of theft and a young offender. Glenorchy City Council, with the support of WIN television, produced a series of three 30 second television advertisements which highlighted simple vehicle security messages including the importance of fitting an immobiliser, protecting car keys and hiding valuables. The ads were presented from the perspectives of both victims and a perpetrator. Glenorchy then teamed up with Clarence City Council to secure a partnership with local cinemas for the ads to be run for 12 months and with television channel WIN for the ads to be aired throughout the duration of OBB.
- Working with Clarence City Council to host a youth forum, designed to gauge young people's perceptions of motor vehicle theft and assist to implement initiatives relevant and relatable to this 'at risk' group.
- Developing a multimedia public awareness campaign with a local radio station, which consisted of five alternating 15 second advertisements aired throughout each day and particularly during peak hour times across a five week period.
- Conducting a large-scale letterbox drop using car theft information and a promotional key ring.
- Consistent use of three distinct colours for all Operation Bounce Back promotional material to create instant recognition of the program within the community.
- Developing a vehicle theft quiz and distributing it at local shopping centres to allow for owners of 'at risk' vehicles to win a free engine immobiliser. Providing a quiz increases personal contact and provides an opportunity to informally discuss vehicle theft with local residents and understand community concerns.
Brimbank City Council - VIC
Contact: Brimbank's Community Safety Officer, Ph. 03 9249 4000
Over the past three years Brimbank City Council has worked with the community to develop three innovative short films for Operation Bounce Back. These projects involved young people aged 15 - 25 years and provided the participants with an opportunity to learn about car safety, develop skills in filmmaking and be part of a socially engaging experience.
The most recent film, 'Use your brains!', was developed by media students attending Keilor Downs Secondary College and includes zombies and a Thriller parody to promote the message to 'Use your brains & install an immobiliser!'
'I Love My Car' was developed in 2008 in partnership with Good Shepherd and involved six young Sudanese people as the film participants. This short comedy promotes the message that it is important to protect your keys to avoid car theft and that there are negative consequences of car theft.
'Who do you trust?' was developed in 2009 with the assistance of a group of young martial arts students from the Quang Minh Buddhist Temple. Through a martial arts inspired theme, the film promotes the most effective way to protect your car from theft.
The films have been widely distributed in the community and have now become a valuable resource which will continue to be used in other youth education initiatives in the area. Ironically young people are often the victims of car theft as well as being the group most likely to be the perpetrators, making it especially important for CAR-SAFE messages to target this unique group. The films can be viewed here:
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Bankstown City Council - NSW
Contact: Margaret Southwell, Community Development Officer, Ph. 02 9707 9471, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Being involved in OBB since its inception, Bankstown City Council has adopted a number of effective campaign initiatives. The development of promotional 'goodie' bags has been particularly successful, which combine a variety of CAR-SAFE brochures and car theft information with a selection of fun, promotional items, such as balloons, key-rings and pens. The promotional bags were then distributed at theft hot spot car parks in the LGA. The 'goodie' bags were also provided to residents who missed out on receiving a free immobiliser voucher. In most cases it is more likely that someone will pick up a give-away bag than information on its own, making this an easy way to get important theft information into people's hands.
Another effective initiative in Bankstown is periodically surveying immobiliser voucher recipients to gauge their perceptions of motor vehicle theft both before and after the OBB program. Respondents are asked to comment on their previous motor vehicle theft experiences, the OBB campaign, the process of installing the immobiliser and the information provided in the education kit, including NMVTRC resources. This kind of evaluation allows for Council to respond to the needs of the community and provide recommendations to the NMVTRC regarding future programs.
Maribyrnong City Council - VIC
Contact: Jane Torney, Safer Communities and Health Promotion Project Officer, Ph. 03 9688 0182,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Maribyrnong City Council worked with police to conduct a car theft prevention mail-out to over 3000 households in the area. The mail-out provided information on how to reduce the risk of vehicle theft and also made mention of Maribyrnong City Council's immobiliser voucher give-aways. The response to the mail-out was very strong, with hundreds of residents enquiring about OBB. Councils often note that working closely with police and other community organisations helps to validate the program and engage community interest.
Maribyrnong City Council also erected signs in a local shopping centre car park reminding motorists to lock their vehicles and remove valuables as part of OBB. Signage works as a permanent reminder to motorists to practice good security practices beyond the OBB program.
Liverpool City Council - NSW
Contact: Kamrun Rahman, Community Development Worker, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
In order to have the messages reach as wide range of people as possible in the area, Liverpool City Council has promoted OBB at the annual Liverpool Safety Expo since first becoming involved in the program in 2007. The Liverpool Safety Expo is a major promoter of crime prevention and community safety in the Liverpool area and continues to grow in popularity, drawing over 1,000 residents from the Liverpool area. The event is a significant example of the success of local partnerships, with local businesses, schools and several emergency services in attendance each year. Free car immobilisers are distributed at the event as well as CAR-SAFE resources.
Logan City Council - QLD
Contact: Jennifer Fredericks, Principal Community Safety Planner, Ph. 07 3412 4617, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Local councils involved in OBB are encouraged to embrace all forms of local media and the exposure these mediums can provide. Logan City Council developed a car theft prevention advertisement which has run in local cinemas for the duration of the OBB project over a number of years. The ad focuses on the realities of vehicle theft and both the personal and financial costs associated with vehicle theft. A radio advertisement was also developed with the local radio station which aimed to dispel the myths around theft and remind residents that older vehicles are most at risk. An interview with a police officer which also aired on the radio helped to validate the program and its vehicle security messages.
Salisbury City Council - SA
Contact: Rick Henke, Manager TWELVE25 Salisbury Youth Enterprise Centre, Ph. 08 8253 9928, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Salisbury City Council's OBB program has had a strong emphasis on targeting young people. The City of Salisbury's centre for youth aged 12 to 25 years, which aims to support and encourage young people in the area, was engaged to administer the program. The Council promoted car safety messages at a local youth music festival, a TAFE college, produced a radio advertisement which was read by a Senior Constable, produced a DVD interviewing a group of victims of vehicle theft and worked with police to present a short presentation to 300 year 11 and 12 students at a local high school. The internet was utilised to promote many of these initiatives and engage young people in the area.
Port Adelaide Enfield City Council - SA
Contact: Jeff Thomas, Community Development Officer, Ph. 08 8405 6874, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
In order to target young people in the City of Port Adelaide Enfield, the Council engaged the services of a Youth Education Officer to implement an education campaign in every high school in the area. The campaign was designed to educate students aged 15 to 17 years, including those at risk of offending behaviour, on the impact and consequences of getting involved in vehicle theft as well as ways to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of theft.
Department of Justice and Community Safety - ACT
The ACT Government began its immobiliser scheme in 2007 which aims to encourage the owners of older vehicles in the region to fit an engine immobiliser. The scheme, which is administered by the Council on the Aging, has provided financial assistance to recipient's of a Centrelink pension to help them protect their vehicle as well as made an immobiliser subsidy available to all ACT residents. The program has run alongside the ACT's Operation Bounce Back project for a number of years and it is a requirement that all installations be carried out by members of the NMVTRC's Immobilise Now! network of professional installers located throughout Canberra. The scheme aims to install 5,000 immobilisers in older vehicles across the ACT.
