DRIVERS STILL NOT LISTENING TO CRIME PREVENTION ADVICE
August 16 2005
Officers in Gloucester are reissuing their advice to car owners not to leave valuables on display after discovering dozens of vehicles providing an easy target for opportunist thieves.
As part of Operation Hammer, which involves extra high visibility patrols in the city during the summer months to crack down on crime and disorder, officers have been patrolling car parks to ensure the crime prevention message is brought home to drivers.
During a recent operation a total of 47 vehicles were found to be insecure or have items left on display while they were parked in city car parks.
Items seen left on display in cars by officers included laptops, bags, coats, camping equipment, CDs, tools, mobile phones, computer games and even letters containing bank details.
Some vehicles were even left parked with their windows wide open.
In response to this officers are asking people to take heed of simple crime prevention advice that only takes a minute to implement, but could mean the difference between a carefree summer and a summer marred by being the victim of crime.
“History shows us that during the summer months we consistently see an increase in vehicle crime,” said Pc Kevin Ireland, crime reduction officers for the Forest and Gloucester Division.
“We try to help the community by arresting those who are committing these crimes, but we would urge people to also take responsibility for protecting their own property.”
“Leaving valuables on display makes your vehicle an easy and enticing target for an opportunist thief who will take advantage of people’s relaxed summer attitudes.”
“We would ask people to act now to work with us in our aim of reducing crime and not wait until they have become a victim themselves before they install basic crime prevention measures.”
Simple advice includes always ensuring that, when unattended, vehicles are locked and windows shut, even if you are only a short distance away, and keys should never be left inside.
It is just as important never to leave any items on display when you park your car or tools in view in the back of a van, even the sight of a simple coat left on show can entice a potential thief.
And if items have to be left in cars then they should always be put in the boot before you leave home and not when you stop in a car park where thieves could be watching.
Councillor Bill Crowther, Chair of the Gloucester Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership said: “The Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership is constantly working to reduce vehicle crime.
“We ask all residents to take care to protect their property and not leave any items on display in parked cars, even if they are being left for a very short time. Thieves are opportunists and we all have a responsibility to work together to reduce crime.”
At home cars should always be parked in a garage or on a driveway whenever possible, or failing that as close to home as possible and under a streetlight so thieves can see the vehicle is empty.
As many vehicle crimes are opportunist, it is important to still protect your car with high visibility steering locks or immobilisers, alarms and even sophisticated locking wheel nuts to make it as hard as possible for a thief who may be looking for an easy target.
“We would welcome any information the public can give us about vehicle crime and those who may be responsible and would ask people to contact us on 0845 090 1234 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111,” added Pc Ireland.