Warning from police after 58 reports of vehicle theft related incidents in two weeks in Northampton

Between April 30 and May 15, Northamptonshire Police received 58 reports of theft from motor vehicles or vehicle interference across the town.

Of these, 18 reports came from residents in the Kingsley, St Crispin and Castle wards, including 13 reported in St Crispin.

Police say increased patrols have been taking place in the affected areas and a 43-year-old Northampton man arrested in connection with some of the reported incidents has been charged with two counts of vehicle interference and is due back in court on July 3.

Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Nicola Lyons-Davis said: “Finding your vehicle has been broken into or interfered with is at the very least an annoyance and can also cause people distress, expense and inconvenience.

“Most of the reports we’ve received are of vehicles having windows smashed and small, easily concealed valuables stolen that are easy for criminals to exchange for cash or drugs.

“With little to no off-road parking available in many areas, we’re sharing advice to help people make their car or van as unattractive to thieves as possible while we continue to work to identify and arrest offenders.”

Police advice for preventing theft from motor vehicles

• Before you get out of your vehicle, check nothing’s left out on seats, the dash, centre console, door pockets or in footwells. Even clothing or loose change can be enough for a thief to risk breaking in. If you can’t remove everything, lock it in the boot or in a vehicle safe
• Close all windows and sunroofs, and wipe away suction marks left by sat nav or phone holders as these may tempt thieves to break in to see if the device is still in the car. Put phone charging leads away for the same reason
• If your car has remote locking, always physically check the doors have locked before you leave it. Criminals nearby can use a jamming device to block the remote signal, leaving the car unlocked so they can get in once you have left
• Never leave your engine running when you leave your vehicle, even if you’ll only be gone a minute. Cars are commonly stolen at supermarkets, petrol stations, fast food outlets, or when left running on driveways to warm up on cold mornings
• Don’t leave important documents such as bank statements, credit card bills, statements or other personal information in your vehicle. Thieves can use this information to steal your identity and access your bank and credit card accounts
• Don’t leave your driving licence or vehicle registration documents in your vehicle as these documents could help a thief sell or dispose of it
• If parking your car in a public place make sure it is in a well-lit street or in a carpark with good lighting and CCTV

If you see any suspicious behaviour in your area, report it via 101 or online at www.northants.police.uk/RO. In an emergency, such as a crime in progress, always use 999.