Vehicle owners urged to be vigilant following keyless thefts

We are urging keyless vehicle owners to be vigilant after a number of vans were stolen without keys recently.

A total of ten vehicles have been stolen since Friday (18 November), with the thefts taking place in the south of the county across Burntwood, Burton-on-Trent, Lichfield and Tamworth.

We were called to a property off High Bank Road, Burton-on-Trent, at 7.20am on Monday (21 November), after a silver Peugeot Boxer van was stolen.

It is believed the theft took place sometime between 7pm on Sunday (20 November) and 7.20am on Monday (21 November).

It follows the theft of a blue Ford Puma on Friday (18 November), which was stolen from the driveway off a property near Kingfisher in Tamworth, sometime between 6.30am and 10am.

While on Saturday (19 November), a black Ford Transit was stolen from an address off Tamworth Road at around 11pm.

On Sunday (20 November), we were called to a property off Rugeley Road, Burntwood, at 11.15pm after a white Citroen Dispatch van was stolen. This van has since been recovered on Redwood Drive in Burntwood.

We are currently reviewing CCTV footage of all the areas where these thefts took place and are keen to speak to anyone who spotted anything suspicious.

Chief Inspector Rob Neeson, of the Tamworth Local Policing Team, said: “Where possible, lock your van in a secure garage or use a steering lock to deter any opportunists from targeting your vehicle.

“If possible, make sure your van is parked in direct view of CCTV cameras.

“You should attempt to remove tools from vans overnight. An alternative can be to mark them clearly with their name using paint pens and sealing that with a clear lacquer spray.

“I would also suggest using a lockable cabinet and small cameras can also be installed inside vans.

“All vehicle owners should be vigilant to any suspicious activity in and around their communities and report any concerns to police.”

If you have a keyless vehicle, we advise that you:
• Consider purchasing a key security pouch (also known as a Faraday pouch) to keep your car entry devices in while inside the house. These block the ability of thieves to access the key signal
• Always check your car doors have locked after pressing your key fob
• Park in a garage if possible, or another secure area, where it is difficult to get the car out if accessed
• Consider using a steering wheel lock.

If you are a victim of keyless vehicle theft, contact Staffordshire Police on 101 or in an emergency, dial 999.

For more information on how to protect your vehicle from crime, visit: Preventing car and vehicle theft | Crime Prevention | Staffordshire Police