Significant hike in thefts from vehicles in Leicestershire and Rutland

Leicestershire Police is urging vehicle owners to think about their vehicle security during the darker nights following an increase in theft from cars and vans.
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During the 28 days to 27 October, there were 712 reports of theft from motor vehicles across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, an increase of 33.8 per cent on the same period last year.

Detective Inspector Helen Nurse, the force lead for vehicle crime, said: “There has been an increase in all types of thefts from vehicles across the force area. Some of the vehicles have had their windows smashed or their locks forced but others have been left insecure.

“Thieves are trying car doors and stealing items such as laptops, wallets and sat navs which have been left on display.

“These offences typically take place overnight when owners have left their vehicles on a driveway or on the road.

“We are urging vehicle owners not to leave anything on display. Our message is clear ‘leave it on show, expect it to go’.”

To help protect your vehicle against thieves, Leicestershire Police are giving the following advice:

• leave it on show expect it to go! Always remove valuables from your vehicle;

• remove sat navs including the support cradle and cables. Wipe away any suction pad marks;

• don’t leave tools in vans overnight;

• make sure that doors are locked, windows are closed and keys are removed when you leave the car, even if it’s only for a moment;

• on icy mornings, never leave your vehicle unattended with the engine running;

• park your vehicle in a well-lit spot that is visible to others, or covered by CCTV;

• if you have a garage, use it. Always lock your vehicle and garage • consider fitting a metal cage to your catalytic convertor or have it etched;

• register any vehicle equipment such as CD players, in-car DVD players, and sat navs for free with immobilise.com

For more advice, visit the vehicle crime webpage or follow #leaveitonshowexpectittogo and #LockItOrLoseIt on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.