A Warrnambool police automatic number plate recognition operation has led to a number of COVID-19 lockdown inquiries but no tickets were issued on Tuesday morning.
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Sergeant Martin Flannery, of the Warrnambool police highway patrol unit, said an operation order was approved for Tuesday and an initial site set up on Raglan Parade near the intersection with Glenrowe Avenue/Simpson Street to check registration plates.
He said the operation targeted unregistered and unlicensed drivers and vehicles with Melbourne registrations who may have been flouting coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
Of the thousands of cars checked, the sergeant said a number of vehicles were identified and their drivers checked.
"We found a number of fleet vehicles who were driven by Warrnambool residents but registered elsewhere," Sergeant Flannery said.
"Those drivers were able to provide suitable explanations.
"There were also eight drivers who were here for legitimate work reasons or who have moved here.
"No one raised any concerns and no infringements were issued."
But, the highway patrol unit chief said 10 drivers were fined.
"There was one drug impaired driver, an unregistered vehicle, an unlicensed driver and we were most disappointed to find an unrestrained child in a vehicle," he said.
"There was a cross section of infringement notices issued.
"We've had similar operation orders targeting mobile telephone use in the Warrnambool central business district in recent times.
"We look at the intelligence we are receiving and we usually repeat the order later on to compare the statistics."
Sergeant Flannery said highway patrol unit members combined with Warrnambool uniform officers to run Tuesday's operation.
He said similar road traffic-based operations had been conducted in recent weeks at Terang and Camperdown.
"We will be doing more of these operations to encourage our younger unit members to be involved in intelligence led policing," he said.
"We've had a change in personnel, and we're welcoming Senior Constable Tim Brosowsky to the Warrnambool highway patrol unit team," he said.
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