29
Oct
2013
By Calvin at 10:18 GMT, 12 years ago
I was interviewed on BBC Radio Sussex’s breakfast programme this morning about thefts from vehicles after Sussex police reported a huge spike in the same in areas of West Sussex. There’s a good summary of the problem on-line in the Worthing Herald
Although it’s difficult to get across the points you really want to make in a short interview, because you’re responding to the questions you’re asked, my basic message was quite simple really, which is don’t leave things of value in your vehicle!
Theft from a vehicle accounts for 70% of all vehicle crime and yet it is one of the simplest crimes to prevent.
Back in June, our friends in Hampshire Constabulary surveyed the vehicles parked in a Sainsbury car park in Hatch Warren Basingstoke and found the following stuff left in the cars:
- 8 Sat-Navs
- 11 Handbags
- 11 Sets of House Keys
- 8 Rucksacks
- 3 Mobile Phones
- 3 DVD Players
- 3 MP3 Players
- 2 Sets of Golf Clubs
- 1 Briefcase
- 1 Full Bag of Shopping from the Perfume Shop
- 1 Army Uniform
- 1 Camera
- PLUS Loads of Cash and Sunglasses
....an Aladdin’s Cave if ever there was one!
If you live in West Sussex please support your local police and the Adur and Worthing Safer Communities Partnership by making sure your car is locked at night and everything in it is removed. If you have a drive and can park on it please do so, because statistically this is safer than in the street. If your driveway has gates keep them closed and locked if you can and if you’ve got some outside lights near to where you park your car and the space is overlooked by neighbours and passersby in the street please use them.
If you don’t live in West Sussex, please do exactly the same and help to put a smile on the Chief Constable’s face. The police can only ever have a limited effect on this type of crime and we simply have to take on some responsibility and play our part.
You know it makes sense!
BBC Radio Sussex: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcsussex/on-air
Worthing Herald on-line: http://www.worthingherald.co.uk/news/top-stories/latest/forty-per-cent-spike-in-car-crime-across-the-district-1-5618455
