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I wanted to provide an update regarding theft from motor vehicles, which members around this area have highlighted as an issue of concern on the Met Engage priority survey. Morning
Just to bring you up to date with local issues that may concern you on the ward.
I'm pleased to say we've had no residential burglaries reported on the ward since my last alert some weeks ago
We've had no reports of cars being stolen either, other than an attempted theft of a moped in Longmead Drive several weeks ago. Fortunately the suspects failed on this occasion, and were actually stopped and searched by response teams days later after a brief chase.
We have had two reports of 'thefts from motor vehicles' these past two weeks.
In Faraday Avenue, a suspect was seen checking car doors in the early hours of Monday 13th July. One victim reported cash and fake jewellery being stolen, after the glove compartment had been rifled through.
More recently, a suspect was disturbed carrying out at an untidy search of the boot of a vehicle in Hatherley Road. Fortunately, the suspect was disturbed by a neighbour of the victim who owned this particular vehicle. Suspect was seen fleeing on foot towards Sidcup High Street. Again, this occurred in the early hours of this morning. PCSO Steve is going to make further enquiries on this today.
 Having personal items stolen from your vehicle is an upsetting experience, and we are determined to find and arrest those who break the law. We will keep you updated with what we are doing to tackle this in your area, but in the meantime, please follow the below advice to help protect your belongings. Check that your vehicle is locked and secure every time you leave it. Thieves often look for easy opportunities to steal from vehicles. They will usually try the handles until they get lucky and find one that has been left unlocked. Keep your keys safe, out of view when at home and away from your front door. If you have a keyless entry vehicle, keep the key well away from the vehicle while at home and turn off wireless signals on your fob when it’s not being used. Consider putting the keys in a screened or signal blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag and check that it is still working every few months. Remove all items from view by taking them with you or putting them in the boot out of sight. Thieves will look for any items on display. Things like clothes, documents or an old bag might not seem like valuables, but they could still tempt a thief. Ensure you remove all other clues there might be valuables linked to the car, such as phone chargers or sat-nav mounts. Park your vehicle in a private garage if you can. If you do not have access to one, try to park in a well –lit open space. Try to use public car parks that are part of the police approved Park Mark safer parking scheme. Secure your number plates with tamper resistant screws to avoid them being stolen and used by others.
If you ever experience this issue or have information regarding an incident, please report it using our online reporting tools at https://www.met.police.uk/, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat or call the non-emergency number 101. Alternatively, you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org. We are working on our brand-new strategy for how we police London and we want your help. Our New Met for London: Phase 2 strategy will guide how we deliver on behalf of Londoners over the next three years. | 
