The increasing use of technology means more crimes, such as hoon driving, are being recorded - making it easier for police to investigate and prosecute offenders.
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The screeching sound of tyres spinning on asphalt as a hoon recklessly does burnouts late at night is a sound that irks many community members.
Ballarat Highway Patrol's Senior Sergeant Stuart Gale said the prevalence of smartphones, dash cams on cars and CCTV systems installed on homes meant more footage of potential crimes was being recorded and handed into police for investigation.
For the highway patrol, this ranges from hoon driving, to road rage incidents and fatal crashes.
"People are recording [incidents] all the time so we are getting more information and are able to follow through with it," Senior Sergeant Gale said.
Senior Sergeant Gale said footage could not only spark an investigation into an incident, but could also help police to piece together how a collision occurred.
It is also strong evidence to present to a court.
It comes after several incidents of hoon driving have been recorded on smartphones and handed into Ballarat police in recent weeks.
These include recordings of an illegal hoon meet at the Ballarat airport - attended by more than 100 people - in early June and another of a driver repeatedly speeding around a roundabout in Redan just before midnight last Friday night, before they were chased off by a fed-up and only partially-clothed resident.
Senior Sergeant Gale said police took reports of hoon driving "very seriously".
"We do investigate these incidents and prosecute this type of behaviour," he said.
"This type of conduct on our roads is extremely dangerous and we treat it that way."
Hoon offences can result in serious penalties, including long prison sentences.
Hoon drivers can be charged with driving offences as well as criminal offences - including reckless conduct endangering life, criminal damage and culpable driving.
"These people just don't understand that they aren't just putting their own lives at risk," Senior Sergeant Gale said.
"They are putting the life of any other person in their vehicle, or any bystander or other road user at risk."
It also puts the lives of people living in nearby houses at risk, if the driver was to lose control and crash into a house.
Senior Sergeant Gale urged people to report hoon driving. If it is being reported at the time, residents should call Triple 0. After it has occurred, a report can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.
