Vehicle crime in Northampton: police defend record on reducing offences with investigations and advice

Northamptonshire Police defended its work to reduce vehicle crime after it was revealed Northampton has the fifth-highest rate of motor offences in the UK outside London.

From April 2018 to March 2019, 3,464 crimes were recorded in the town, which has 133,400 registered vehicles, equalling 25.97 offences per 1,000 motors.

Chief Inspector James Willis, of Northamptonshire Police's west local policing area, said: “We have been running an operation to reduce vehicle crime not only in Northampton but across the whole local policing area.

“Supported by members of our special constabulary, officers have been carrying out high visibility patrols in areas which have been identified as being at greater risk of vehicle crime to disrupt the activities of those committing crime within our communities.

“In addition to this, our neighbourhood policing teams have been delivering crime prevention advice at community events as well as holding regular police surgeries to provide residents with the opportunity to speak to their local officer.

"Or people can visit the Northamptonshire Police website for crime prevention advice.

“Vehicle crime is not unique to Northampton, and we are in constant liaison with colleagues in other forces across the region to share intelligence and identify crime patterns.

"An experienced investigator will be assigned to look into the pattern to give us the best possible chance of building a case against any suspects.”

Car finance company ChooseMyCar obtained the figures for 'theft from a vehicle', 'theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle' and 'interfering with a motor vehicle' from police forces in the UK, minus Scotland, through Freedom of Information requests.

In Northampton, 435 motor thefts, 2,358 thefts from vehicles and 671 motor interference crimes were recorded for 2018/19.