The key to not getting hooked

Police say some local residents are still making it far too easy for opportunist car thieves by leaving their car keys on show and within reach.

The fresh warning not to leave keys lying around follows a recent increase in incidents of cars being stolen from outside homes.

Officers say people have a habit of leaving their keys near their front door.

Thieves who spot keys on show have been known to push sticks with hooks on the end through letter boxes in order to fish for keys.

In some incidents they will force a window to reach them. Often these thieves are only interested in stealing your car.

Community PC, Elvett Phipps, said it was time for a fresh warning and said that if people took some simple precautionary measures, the number of thefts from drives would drop.

In the past, Hertfordshire Constabulary has offered the following advice ...

Don't leave your keys where they are visible, or accessible, to an opportunist thief.
If you are in the habit of leaving your keys on a hallway table, or on a hook near the door, then break the habit and leave your keys well away from your front door and out of sight. It is a very easy step to take, but by doing so you will greatly reduce your risk of becoming a victim of such crime.
Owners of high value vehicles should keep them garaged overnight rather than leaving them on the driveway in full view of any would-be thieves. Wherever possible, owners of such vehicles should consider having a tracking device fitted.

PC Elvett Phipps speaking into his two-way radio - picture provided through a link to the Herts Police site. - (c) Hertfordshire Constabulary.
PC Elvett Phipps
Image on Herts Police site - (c) Herts Constabulary
Anyone with any information about this or any other crime should contact the Central Crimedesk on 01707 638102 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

These warnings have been issued several times before on this site, but PC Phipps said it was time to remind people of the dangers and what they could do to help prevent car crime.

Interestingly, the last warning was issues this time last year, suggesting this is a crime associated with light evenings and warm weather when people leave windows open and doors ajar.

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

14 May 2005

Related News
Increase in car thefts from drives - 19 May 2004
Local car key theft on the increase - 27 June 2003
House burglaries on the increase - 5 March 2002
Police issue car theft warning - 25 October 2001

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