(Posted by Karen Tweedale)
Good evening folks – I received this message on Friday which I have been asked to share with you all “Hi, I was wondering if you could warn the people of Middlemore please? I accidentally left my car unlocked last night and a few items were stolen from it. There was no damage but it just goes to show that someone is out looking for easy thefts in the night and people should be vigilant with their personal security. Thanks. ”
This is the second report we had last week I would urge you to be on alert on not leave anything of value on display whether your car is locked or not.
PLEASE IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU LOCKED YOUR CAR – REPORT IT ! Our local Safer Community Team urged that every single incident is reported into 101.
We all know that it is so very easy to accidentally leave you car unlocked particularly as we all seem to lead such busy lives. I myself have been a victim of car crime.
A quick search of the internet found this article on car crime. Hopefully this article is useful/of interest to some of you.
“We’re urging people to double check their cars are locked and remove valuables to make life as difficult as possible for criminals. “Opportunist thieves can steal an item from a car in seconds and so it’s vital that people lock doors and close windows every time they leave their vehicle.” “People leave possessions on car or van seats, keep expensive items such as sat navs in glove compartments and leave bags or other valuables on display; perhaps not thinking that thieves only have to take a quick look inside and their belongings can suddenly become a target. “Many of these crimes happen at night and we’re also asking people to let us know of any suspicious activity in their streets to help us to bring offenders to justice. “Call 101, report online and call 999 if a crime is in progress.”
Tips for protecting your vehicle and its content
Don’t leave anything on display in your vehicle. Even an old coat on the back seat can be a temptation for a thief to steal first – and then think about value later. When you leave your car, take your belongings with you. If you can’t and have no other option, then lock them in your boot.
In particular, avoid leaving the following items in your car: mobile phones; laptops; credit and debit cards; cheque books; cash; vehicle registration documents and private mail (especially with your address on it). Security devices are a good deterrent for thieves, such as electronic immobilisers (which prevent cars from starting) and mechanical immobilisers such as steering wheel locks.
When you leave your vehicle, always remove the ignition key and lock all doors. It only takes a few seconds for a thief to jump into your vehicle and drive away. This should be remembered at all times – even when paying for petrol or popping into a shop. Lock all doors and close all windows and the sunroof every time you leave your vehicle unattended, however briefly. Business drivers should also be on the alert for irregularities in loading procedures and report this if seen.
They may also be working with signal blockers as we had a dash cam stolen from our car that my partner locked and the dashcam cam was in the glove box. The car was also locked in the morning as it self locks after a short while when keys not present.