Man arrested after defrosting car was stolen

We have arrested a man after a car was stolen whilst it was defrosting in Stoke-on-Trent.

It happened just before 10.45am on Sunday (3 December). A woman was defrosting her Nissan Juke in Bentilee. Her son was holding the keys when he was approached by a man who grabbed them off him and drove off.

We started work straight away to track the car. It was found near Northcote Street yesterday (4 December).

A 49-year-old man, from Stoke-on-Trent, has been arrested on suspicion of taking a car without the owner’s consent. He is being questioned about what happened in custody today (5 December).

Inspector Mark Burslem, from the Stoke South local policing team, said: “Vehicle theft is a priority for all ten local policing teams across Staffordshire. We will go after those responsible and we will protect the hard-earned belongings of our communities.

“The cold weather has brought with it an increased number of reports of attempted vehicle thefts whilst cars are being left to defrost. It might be convenient to do so, but it’s also convenient for thieves and opportunists. 

“We are urging everyone to stay with their vehicles whilst they are defrosting. By taking extra steps to limit the chances of being targeted by thieves, we can continue to tackle vehicle theft and make progress against those responsible.”

To find out more about how you can protect your vehicle, visit: Preventing car and vehicle theft | Crime Prevention | Staffordshire Police