Theft of Motor vehicles and Burglary’s where car keys are taken across Herefordshire are fortunately few and far between, however these crimes still do occur.

Where such a crime happens, it is devastating for the victim and can impact the wider family in many ways. Police investigations will make every effort to trace the criminals and bring them to justice as well as seeking to find and recover your vehicle. This is not always an easy task made harder with criminals becoming more aware of modern technology and work arounds with it.

Police are finding that high value, high specification and hi powered vehicles are a more attractive offer for criminals to aid them in their criminal activity in the future.

Vehicles now a days do have a certain amount of security that the manufacturer installs but I want to take this opportunity to remind vehicle owners of this crime and ask that you look at taking additional steps to secure your vehicle and make it less of an attractive offer for the criminal.

Steps that can be taken can include:

·  Ensuring suitable lighting around your property/driveway enables better visibility which in turn aids CCTV/witnesses.

·  CCTV or Ring Doorbell cameras on your property offer a good deterrent and evidence to police.

·  Ensure that valuables and keys are not kept on show in the vehicle or kept in the vehicle overnight. 

·  Make sure vehicles are locked but also make sure homes are locked at night or when your away.

·  Strongly consider activating manufacture trackers if not already. In addition, consider activating manufacture software/apps that can link your mobile device to the vehicle’s computer as this can often provide you with useful information and accurate real time location information of your vehicle.

·  Consider installing additional security barriers at your home such as a pull up bollard for the drive, driveway sensors or perimeter alarms. 

·  Consider additional vehicle security: steering wheel locks, handbrake locks, Faraday boxes or pouches for your keys.

If none of the above are options for you, then finally and I know we can all be guilty of this at the end of a busy day, try to not leave your keys in an obvious place in the home. Try to not leave them by entrance doors, on worktops or easily on view from windows. Try to store your keys separately, out of sight and use locations that would not be so obvious. 

If you witness any crime taking place, have information about a crime, have concerns around some suspicious behaviour or just need advice then please contact the police on 999/101.