What are the Australiasian Branch Awards?
The Australasian Branch of IAATI, in partnership with our Award Sponsors, Insurance Australia Group Ltd and DataDot Technology have an annual Awards Programme. The IAATI Branch awards seek to recognise and reward outstanding achievement, innovation, or exceptional performance in the area of auto theft prevention and investigation.
Award Categories
Nominations are currently invited for the following four categories:
Investigation of the Year
Sponsored by Insurance Australia Group this award is open to any individual or team of professionals involved in the identification and investigation of motor vehicle theft. The investigation may be deemed exceptional for a range of reasons including its use innovative methodologies or techniques, the complexity of the investigation, the involvement and cooperation of multiple agencies, or the size of the operation. It is open to members of Police services, Customs services, insurance investigators, private investigators, or anyone else involved in investigation of motor vehicle theft. The may involve cooperation of international agencies but at least part of the investigation must have taken place in Australia or New Zealand during the last 3 years.
Insurance Industry Auto Theft Investigation of the Year Award
This new award will be presented for the first time in 2008 and is open to individuals working in the insurance industry involved in the identification and/or investigation of auto theft insurance claims. The award is open to insurance investigators, private investigators, claims officers, claims managers, insurance assessors and insurance company personnel involved in an intelligence role. The investigation and/or claims process may be deemed exceptional for a range of reasons including its use of innovated methodologies or techniques or the complexity of the investigation.
The individual will need to show that the investigation and or claims process has met with the requirements of the General Insurance Code of Practice, the insurance company's service level agreement, customer relations guidelines and/or dispute resolution process if applicable. The investigation and/or insurance claim must have taken place in Australia or New Zealand during the last three years.
Outstanding Achievement in the Reduction of Motor Vehicle Theft in Australasia
Sponsored by Insurance Australia Group this award is open to any individual, organisation or agency that has made a significant contribution to assist in the reduction of motor vehicle theft in Australia. For example, potential nominations in this category may include:
- Individuals or organisation involved in the development of security devices;
- Vehicle manufacturers;
- Governments for their introduction of new legislation;
- Insurance companies the introduction of new procedures or incentives to vehicle owners or the funding of crime prevention programs;
- Police services for the introduction of initiatives or the development and distribution of training programmes;
- Car park operators and shopping centre managers for introduction of safer parking environments;
- Local crime prevention practitioners;
- Youth workers or organisations involved in prevention programs for offender or age risk individuals;
- Advertising agencies for the development of an awareness campaign etc.;
- Schools/education authorities for the introduction of motor vehicle theft prevention issues into the curriculum;
- Motor Registration authorities or consumer protection agencies for the development of policies or procedures aimed at restricting the activities of car thieves and protecting the unsuspecting consumers; or
- Individuals or organisations involved in the media for the development of responsible reporting practices, the dissemination of vehicle theft prevention material, or the reporting of vehicle theft issues.
DataDot Investigation of the Year Award
The DataDot Investigation of the Year Award is being held for the second time this year. Entries are open to any organisation (public or private) that has relied upon the DataDot component identification product in an investigation of motor vehicles. This award is sponsored by DataDot Technology Ltd.
Outstanding Contribution by a member to the International or Australasian Branch of IAATI
Nominations for this award are only open to present or past members of the Australasian Branch of IAATI. This award is to recognise the work of an individual member, who through their dedication and involvement, has helped in the development, growth or professionalism of IAATI within the Australasian Branch or at the international level.
Award Nominations
Nominations for any of the awards can be made at any time. However, for a nomination to be considered for the 2008 Awards it must be submitted by Friday 25th April, 2008. Please send:
- details of the person or group being nominated and stating the category they are being nominated for;
- reasons for your nomination; and
- your name and contact details
to:
Paul Thomas
Office of Crime Statistics and Research
GPO Box 464
Adelaide, South Australia 5001
Winners will be announced at the Annual Training Seminar each year.
Presentation Ceremony
Winners of the 2008 Branch Awards will be announced during the 2008 International Seminar Dinner to be held at Darling Harbour, Sydney on Thursday 7 th August 2008. Sponsorship provided by Insurance Australia Group and DataDot Technology enables the award winners to attend the dinner in person. The winner of each category may also be asked to make a short presentation during the conference and/or write a short article for publication in an IAATI newsletter.
Enquiries
Enquiries about the branch awards can made by contacting either:
- Paul Thomas: Ph 61 - 8 - 8207 1669 or
pthomas@iaatiaus.org - Harry Rakintzis: Ph 61 - 3 - 8520 1394 or
hrakintzis@aami.com.au
Sponsors
The Australasian Branch of IAATI gratefully acknowledges the long term support of Insurance Australia Group and DataDot Technology with the Branch Awards Program.All of the above information can be downloaded in the 2008 Awards Flyer.
Most Recent Award Recipients
Investigation of the Year - Sponsored by IAG
The winner of the award for 2007 is Strike Force HINDLEY of the Property Crime Squad, State Crime Command, NSW Police.
In early 2005, a Plain Clothes Constable with NSWPOL was given carriage of enquiries into a "theft by fraud" of a hire vehicle.
Early enquiries identified a number of similar offences, and the Constable transferred to the Property Crime Squad as the Office in Charge of the Strike Force that was initiated. A number of vehicles were hired by students at the request of the main target, and paid small amounts for their trouble to hand the vehicles over to the syndicate.
A number of additional (luxury) vehicles were purchased fraudulently using forged cheques. The original cheques were in small amounts (eg. $30) but "washed" by the syndicate for use in amounts up to $60,000.
When concluded in October 2006, the Strike Force had identified a rebirthing syndicate associated with 28 stolen vehicles valued at more than $500,000. Seventeen offenders were arrested and charged.
Outstanding Contribution to the Reduction of Motor Vehicle Theft - Sponsored by IAG
The winner of the award for 2007 is Glenorchy City Council, Tasmania.
Each year, the NMVTRC sponsors a public awareness program known as "Operation Bounce Back". Three years ago, a Council in Tasmania identified vehicle crime as a local issue, and was ranked second worst in the state by incident volume.
In 2004/05, sixty 'at risk' youths attended a seminar to examine the real risks of being involved in vehicle crime. During the seminar, these young people suggested that the best way to get the anti-theft message out to the community would be through TV advertisements.
The Council then set about developing 3 x 30 second anti-vehicle theft advertisements using NMVTRC sponsorship. The advertisements involved a group of young at-risk persons, who assisted in the creative and technical aspects of production. Following the campaign, this Council experienced an 14% decrease in vehicle crime, compared to a 14% increase across Tasmania.
DataDot Investigation of the Year - Sponsored by DataDot
The winner of the award for 2007 is the Forensic Response Section, South Australia Police.
In December 2006 in South Australia, 2003 HSV Clubsport was stolen after the driver stopped to assist a man lying injured on the roadway. Three weeks later, patrol officers stopped a van containing 5 males towing a trailer after the group set fire to the rear half of a Commodore sedan.
Tasked with the investigation, the Forensic Response Section of SAPOL recognized that the Commodore was a post-2002 model and so should carry DataDots. Unfortunately, any Dots that may have been affixed were consumed in the fire.
Subsequent searches of property and vehicles owned by the five males, however, revealed a number of DataDotted panels and wheels that had been removed from the 2003 HSV. As a result, the suspect in possession of these items was charged and some $20,000 of components was recovered.
Member of the Year - sponsored by IAATI
The Australasian Branch Member of the Year for 2007 was Gerry Bashford of Victoria Police. Well done Gerry.