A Sheriff’s operation in the Latrobe Valley recently identified 89 people with 856 outstanding warrants valued at more than $191,000.
Uniformed officers from the Gippsland region undertook the targeted blitz as part of a focus on enforcing outstanding debts with tough sanctions and penalties.
The officers set up the highly visible operation on 23 and 24 September across multiple locations in the Latrobe Valley.
Payment was received from eight people on the day to finalise 20 warrants worth more than $7000.
Five drivers with 64 warrants worth more than $20,000 were notified their driver licence or vehicle registration would be suspended if they did not arrange to pay within seven days.
Sheriff of Victoria Brendan Facey said that operations were run every day across the state in a bid to stamp out fine evasion and to remind people of the serious consequences if they did not pay their fines.
“Sheriff’s officers will continue to conduct special operations, roadblocks and blitzes, while increasingly using Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology, to more efficiently target fine dodgers on Victorian roads,” Mr Facey said.
“The Sheriff could be anywhere at any time and with new technology and more collaborative operations with Victoria Police, it is only a matter of time before you get caught.”
Anyone with concerns about their outstanding fines should phone 1300 SHERIFF to discuss their options.
Individuals can pay their outstanding fines at www.fines.vic.gov.au or by visiting any of the Justice service centres in the region.
