Police on the Isle of Wight are reminding motorists of a simple message – ‘Lock It or Lose It!’. The warning comes after 8 reports of theft from or tampering with a vehicle in Shanklin and 1 in Lake on Saturday and Sunday night.
The vast majority of incidents have taken place overnight during hours of darkness. In many cases loose change on display or items like sunglasses have been taken. A Skoda Fabia on Whitecross Avenue had a Michael Kors handbag stolen from inside. Items have been taken from vehicles in other locations such as Blythe Way, Collingwood Road, Brook Road, Garfield Road, Sibden Road and Merrie Gardens.
It has been confirmed that 2 local 15 year-old boys have been arrested on suspicion of 7 counts of theft from a motor vehicle in relation to these investigations and have been released from custody without charge, but remain under investigation at this time.
As part of Hampshire Constabulary’s enquiries officers have recovered a pair of pink ladies Nike trainers. Officers are keen for the owner of these shoes to come forward if they have been stolen.
Anyone who has information or whose vehicle was targeted over the weekend should call PC 3213 Giddens at Newport Police station on 101 quoting 44170242774.
Thefts from vehicles
• Don’t leave anything in your car – if it’s not there, then it can’t be stolen.
• Choose a stereo that can be removed and make sure you take it with you! You should also mark it with your registration number or postcode, in case it’s stolen.
• Thieves aren’t picky, so don’t leave even low-value items in your car. Often thieves will smash and grab first and look later to see if what they’ve stolen is valuable.
• Don’t hide it – if you hide items under the seat or in the glove box, chances are someone will have watched you. If you cannot avoid leaving something in your car, put it in your boot before you begin your journey.
• Don’t leave valuables in your car even for a minute – it only takes a thief a few seconds to smash a window and get what they want, so don’t take the chance.
• Your car isn’t safe to be left unlocked on your driveway – nearly half of all incidents where items are stolen from cars happen when they are parked overnight, close to the owner’s home.
• Don’t leave your house keys or anything with your address on it in your vehicle – someone could steal your keys and then let themselves into your home.
Sat Navs
• If it’s portable, take the sat nav with you together with the support cradle and suction pads.
• Wipe away any marks left by the suction pads as thieves will look out for these.
• Don’t leave your equipment in the glove compartment – thieves usually check here first.
Number Plates
Vehicle number plates are often stolen to be used in other crimes, such as theft of fuel from forecourts (bilking), avoidance of congestion charges and parking fines, vehicle cloning and even burglary.
If index plate thefts are not reported, you may receive a summons for unpaid parking or a speeding ticket, or you may even be questioned by police in connection with more serious crimes.
• Park your car in a garage at night or park in such a way as to prevent access to either the front or rear number plate
• Park in a safe public car park.
• If parking on a public road, park in a well-lit spot..
• Use theft-resistant number plates, which are designed to break apart if they are forcibly removed from a vehicle.
• Fit security screws. Simple anti-theft devices can be easily fitted with a screwdriver in place of existing screws, but cannot be removed using standard tools
Securing Cars
• Always secure your car.
• Always lock your car and wind your windows up, even if you are just posting a letter or going into a petrol station.
• If you are stationary in traffic, keep your doors locked and don’t wind your windows too far down – someone could reach in and try to grab something off your passenger seat.
• Use a steering wheel lock every time you leave your car – it makes life more difficult for the thief and therefore your car a less tempting target.
• Get a car alarm – they not only deter a thief from stealing the car, but also from stealing items from inside it. Have it fitted by a professional.
• Immobilisers stop the engine from starting if the car is being stolen and they are the best way to stop thieves. Having an immobiliser is a good idea if you have an expensive car, and it might help to reduce your insurance premiums.
Log your property for free on www.immobilise.com.
