Crime prevention advice issued after thefts from vehicles in Andover

We are issuing crime prevention advice after cars were broken into in Andover.

We received ten reports of thefts from motor vehicles on the night of Tuesday 20 November.

Four thefts were from cars in Pilgrims Way. Other reports involved cars parked in Byng Walk, Colenzo Drive, Cricketers Way, Helford Court and Jardine Square.

The reports include vehicles which have had their windows smashed and items taken from inside gloveboxes.

We would like to hear from anyone who witnessed one of these thefts, or anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area that night.

If you have information, call 101, quoting 44180436078.

We would also like to take this opportunity to remind car users of the following crime prevention advice:

Thefts from vehicles

• don’t leave anything in your car – if it’s not there, then it can’t be stolen
• thieves aren’t picky, so don’t leave even low value items in your car. Often thieves will smash and grab first and look later to see if what they’ve stolen is valuable
• don’t hide it – if you hide items under the seat or in the glovebox, chances are someone will have watched you. If you cannot avoid leaving something in your car, put it in your boot before you begin your journey
• your car isn’t safe to be left unlocked on your driveway – nearly half of all incidents where items are stolen from cars happen when they are parked overnight, close to the owner’s home
• don’t leave your house keys or anything with your address on it in your vehicle – someone could steal your keys and then let themselves into your home.

Sat Navs

• if it’s portable, take the sat nav with you together with the support cradle and suction pads
• wipe away any marks left by the suction pads as thieves will look out for these
• don’t leave your equipment in the glove compartment – thieves usually check here first

Securing cars

• always lock your car and wind up your windows, even if you are just posting a letter or going into a petrol station
• get a car alarm – they not only deter a thief from stealing the car, but also from stealing items from inside it. Have it fitted by a professional
•  try to park in well-lit areas
•  be cautious about parking your car in isolation – thieves can be put off when other people are around.