Victoria Police is extending a major police operation targeting car-related thefts after it resulted in hundreds of arrests.

Police in the inner Melbourne areas of Stonnington and Port Phillip have arrested 550 people since the start of Operation Ignition in January.

Vehicle Crime Team police have targeted opportunistic thieves as part of the operation, with some offenders being caught in the area after committing thefts in other parts of the state.

The latest crime data shows thefts from cars account for 20 per cent of all crime across Stonnington and Port Phillip, with the offences surging in recent years.

There were 3,042 theft from a motor vehicle offences in the 12 months to March in Port Phillip, while a further 2,809 occurred in Stonnington, with car thefts being 1,033 and 791 respectively.

Adjusting for population size, Port Phillip’s rate of car thefts is more than double the state average, while thefts from a motor vehicle are 236 per cent higher.

In Stonnington, car thefts were 155 per cent higher than the state average, with thefts from a motor vehicle being 216 per cent higher.

Victoria Police said stolen cars are frequently used to facilitate serious and violent offending, including aggravated burglaries, armed robberies, drug trafficking, arson, and other organised criminal activity.

Port Phillip Crime Investigation Unit Detective Senior Sergeant Nick Densley said the 550 arrests made since January 1 were a major achievement.

“Our team has made a significant number of arrests in a relatively short period, and it’s for this reason that Operation Ignition has been extended for at least the remainder of this year,” he said.

“The disruption achieved through this operation already will have a tangible impact on reducing offending and enhancing community safety.”

The senior Victoria Police officer said car owners could take simple measures to prevent thefts occurring.

“Locking your car is the easiest and most effective way of deterring opportunistic thieves, who tell us in interviews they go from car to car until they find one that is unlocked,” he said.

“We also advise removing valuables from the car – especially those in plain sight – so as not to tempt opportunistic thieves.”