Car key vehicle theft on the rise

Hertfordshire police say there has been a rise in the theft of high-value cars from outside homes.

In many cases owners are making it easier for the thieves by leaving their keys on display.

In a news release emailed to this site (the third on the same theme in recent months), Hertfordshire Constabulary warns that organised gangs of burglars are targeting homes with high-value cars outside.

Since mid-July there have been 24 burglaries in Hertfordshire in which a car has been the main or only property stolen.

According to Detective Chief Inspector Jerry Tattersal, car owners should play their part in helping to avoid such crime.

"Car owners can prevent the theft of their vehicles from their home simply by keeping car keys well hidden in their house and not leaving them near letterboxes or windows, where they can be fished out by a burglar without even having to physically break in," the news release continues.

Although overall there are fewer home burglaries across the county compared to previous years, current figures show that around nine per cent of them involve the theft of keys and, subsequently, vehicles. Of the remainder, more than a quarter occur as a result of doors not being locked or windows being left open.

The County Crime Reduction Officer, Andy Reynolds, says residents should be vigilant and ensure that doors and windows, especially those downstairs or accessible from a flat roof, are closed and secured properly at night and when you leave the house - even if you are only popping out for a few minutes.

"I would urge people to take a look at their homes and consider how they would get in if they forgot their keys. If it would be easy for you to break in without being noticed, it will be easy for a burglar to break in too."

You can discuss this issue in this site’s forum.

27 August 2005

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