By Jed Lanyon
Victoria Police set up a mobile CCTV unit outside of Healesville near entrance points of the metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria border.
The mobile camera was placed at an intersection on Yarra Glen – Healesville Road and Chum Creek Road prior to the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.
Keen eyed locals spotted Victoria Police setting up the equipment and posted to social media claiming the cameras would monitor the movement of Victorians as they pass through the metropolitan and regional boundary at the edge of the Shire of Yarra Ranges.
A Victoria Police spokesperson wouldn’t confirm to Star Mail whether the cameras had been set up to catch Victorians floating Covid-19 restrictions.
“Victoria Police owns and has liaised with a number of councils across Victoria to utilise Victoria Police and council-owned mobile CCTV units in public spaces,” the spokesperson said.
“The cameras can help to capture and deter crimes in certain areas and can be used in response to community safety issues.
“For operational reasons we will not be providing commentary on how many of these units are being used or where and when they are positioned.”
It came as Operation Regal, a four-day police operation targeting high-risk driving behaviour on roads was launched. Victoria Police said it would include the “targeted deployment” of mobile speed cameras and automated number plate recognition vehicles.
While people living in metropolitan Melbourne were banned from travelling into regional Victoria over the long weekend, Victoria Police said they prepared for regional Victorians to hit the road in high numbers.
Operation Regal saw police targeting speed, alcohol and drug impaired driving, fatigue, driver distraction and a failure to wear seatbelts.
