Wiltshire Police are advising vehicle owners in East Swindon to be vigilant following concerns raised about cars being interfered with.
The latest incident occurred at around 9.30 am on Sunday 27 December when they received reports of a man trying doors of cars in and around Eastmere, Liden.
In the last three months, they have had 14 similar reports in the East Swindon area and are urging vehicle owners to take some simple steps to protect their vehicles.
PCSO Charlotte Watson of the Swindon South Community Policing Team said: “We have seen this becoming more of an issue in East Swindon in recent months and we suspect significantly more are going unreported.
“These crimes are often opportunistic and we’d urge vehicle owners about being extra vigilant of locking their vehicle doors, not leaving valuables in the vehicles overnight and considering where they leave their keys.
“There are steps that you can take to help protect your vehicle, so please make sure you are aware of our crime prevention advice.
“I’d also encourage people to contact us if you suspect your vehicle has been tampered with overnight by calling 101 so we can build a better intelligence picture and target the areas that are being targeted by criminals.”
Here are some crime prevention points to consider which could prevent a vehicle from being taken….
• Keep your vehicle locked, windows shut and your keys secure
• Put the key card/fob in a Faraday case/pouch to block any transmissions
• Park the vehicle in a locked garage where possible.
• Where possible, park in a well-lit area and in clear view of your property and any CCTV cameras.
• Do not leave any valuables such as wallets, phones, Sat Navs etc. on display.
• Use an additional steering lock.
• Mark the items of property/tools that are stored in the vehicle using an artificial DNA property marker such as Smartwater or SelectaDNA.
• If you have a second, non-keyless vehicle, park that behind the high value one.
• Check with your car dealership as they can offer advice and the manufacturer/dealer can often track the vehicle if it is stolen.
• If the vehicle is a company car, check with your fleet managers who can offer crime prevention and tracking advice.
Call 999 immediately if you see a crime in progress or any suspicious activity around vehicles in your area. Note the registration numbers of vehicles and descriptions of those involved. Anyone with information relating to the incident Eastmere should call 101. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
