Covert operation took place in Melbourne suburb of Nunawading with 38 infringement notices issued

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Victorian police posed as car window washers in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Nunawading as part of an undercover operation on Tuesday to catch out drivers distracted by their mobile phones.

“Part of the operation involved covert observations of drivers in stationary vehicles,” a police spokeswoman said.

She confirmed police issued 38 infringement notices.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest ‘Covert observations of drivers’: one of the police in Nunawading. Photograph: Facebook

The officers donned high visibility shirts and could be seen speaking into radios and flashing badges at motorists, according to talkback radio callers on 3AW and ABC radio stations.

It is illegal for people to solicit money for windscreen washing in Victoria and fines apply, but police said they did not wash any windows during the operation.

The covert action attracted mixed reactions from the public. While some people thought it was creative, others were not impressed.

“So glad to hear that despite everything else that’s going on in Melbourne atm @VictoriaPolice have sufficient resources to disguise themselves as itinerant window washers,” Shane Tremble tweeted.

People caught using their mobile phones while behind the wheel face a $484 fine in Victoria.

According to VicRoads, if drivers take their eyes off the road for two seconds while driving at 50km per hour, it equates to traveling 27m blind.

