Victorian Police patrolling the border with New South Wales are telling travellers that the initial warning period is now over for those trying to sneak over the border. Since Saturday, around 260 officers have been placed along the border equipped with automatic number plate recognition technology to check vehicles. Since the start of border restrictions, officers have turned away 53 people with a simple warning. Many were from red zones, which are areas assessed as high risk for COVID-19 transmission during a specific period. All visitors looking to get into Victoria are currently required to obtain a permit. However, Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said people had had enough time to learn of current restrictions rules and will start facing thousands of dollars in on-the-spot fines if without a valid permit. “If there’s a need to escalate, we will escalate,” Patton told reporters on Monday. “That discretion, that window period, is …