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Creative Canberrans have faked their own parking tickets by pulling out textas, scissors and craft glue - an offence that carries a whopping $600 fine. Photographs from Access Canberra show crafty drivers have avoided paying a full day's parking - up to about $16 in Civic - by sticking later times from old tickets over new, cheaper dockets. One person "extended" their limit by scribbling over the time for which they'd actually paid, while another MacGyver made a collage from the scraps of two tickets, 20 cent coins and a toothpick. Access Canberra Parking Operations and Traffic Camera Office manager Christopher Seddon said it was not common for people to fudge parking tickets but warned it could lead to a hefty penalty. Drivers tampering with tickets can be charged with displaying something falsely resembling a parking ticket or displaying a changed, damaged or defaced parking ticket. Each offence carries a $600 tag. "Our inspectors are skilled at detecting modified tickets and permits - it is not worth tampering with your ticket to save a dollar or two when the infringement you receive will cost $600," Mr Sneddon said. Other Access Canberra photographs sent to the Sunday Canberra Times showed some questionable parking techniques. One P-plater left his or her car in a garden bed, while a series of Canberrans decided to park on footpaths and others blocked mobility bays. Mr Sneddon said the most common parking fines ranged from $114 for parking in an area for longer than permitted to $600 for stopping in a space designated disabled parking. "Drivers can avoid being issued parking infringements by parking safely and legally in appropriate parking areas," he said. "The whole community benefits when you do the fair and right thing." Data released earlier this month revealed Civic as the worst for parking offences. There were 12,744 fines doled out between December 1 and June 12. Phillip followed with 4075 infringements, then Bruce (2379), Garran (2260) and Belconnen (2079). The ACT government will invest in two new vans with mounted licence plate recognition cameras by Christmas, bringing the total to four.

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