Vehicle safety reminder following series of thefts

We are reminding people of some simple ways to keep your vehicles safe following a series of thefts in Stoke-on-Trent.

Over the past two months, we have seen an increase in the number of motorbikes and mopeds being stolen in Stoke town.

Inspector Rebecca Price, of the Stoke-on-Trent south local policing team, said: “Thieves are often opportunistic, so we are urging all vehicle owners to be vigilant.

“As the weather gets colder, drivers might be tempted to leave their car running to defrost, but it is in these circumstances where we see an increase in thefts.

“In particular, we have seen thieves target mopeds specifically often because they don’t have alarms or anti-theft locks. Thieves can snap steering locks or use bolt croppers to cut through bike chains.

“We would advise moped and motorbike owners to purchase anti-cut chains and locks as both are proven to prevent theft and greatly slow down thieves.

“Tracking capability can also be extremely helpful, such as an Air Tag, because this helps officers track down and recover stolen vehicles.

“By working together, we can drastically reduce thefts of motor vehicles in Stoke-on-Trent and wider Staffordshire.”

There are a few simple ways to help prevent vehicle theft:

• Always lock your vehicle, even when filling up or parked on your drive, and double-check you have closed all windows or the sunroof
• Keep your keys safe and out of view when at home, away from your front door
• If your car has keyless entry, make sure to keep the key away from the car when at home and turn off wireless signals on your fob when it is not being used
• When sitting in traffic, keep your doors locked and when queuing, leave enough space in front of your vehicle to enable you to get out of a tight spot
• Where possible, make sure to park in an illuminated and staffed car park rather than in dark and secluded areas.