East Acton Ward Crime Alert: Vehicle Thefts

Crime Alert for East Acton Residents 

Your local East Acton Neighbourhood Policing Team is urging residents to remain vigilant following a continued increase in theft of motor vehicles and thefts from motor vehicles across the ward.

Recent incidents have included the theft of assisted/adaptive cruise control radar units from the front of parked vehicles, as well as the theft of entire vehicles using methods such as key relay theft. These offences can occur quickly and often result in significant inconvenience and costly repairs for vehicle owners.

Protect Your Vehicle Against Radar Unit Theft

Many modern vehicles contain radar sensors within the front grille or bumper, making them attractive targets for criminals.

To reduce the risk:

✅ Contact your vehicle manufacturer or dealership to see if a retrofit security kit or tamper-resistant fixings are available for your vehicle.

✅ Park tactically wherever possible:

✅ Consider installing additional CCTV, video doorbells, or security lighting if parking on a driveway.

Protect Against Vehicle Theft and Key Relay Attacks

Criminals continue to target vehicles with keyless entry systems by capturing and amplifying signals from keys inside homes.

You can help prevent this by:

✅ Storing keys in a Faraday pouch or signal-blocking container.

✅ Keeping vehicle keys away from front doors, windows, and accessible locations.

✅ Checking whether your vehicle allows keyless entry to be disabled when not in use.

✅ Ensuring spare keys are secured and accounted for.

Consider Additional Security Measures

Additional security can significantly reduce the likelihood of your vehicle being stolen.

Residents may wish to consider:

✅ A secondary immobiliser that requires a unique PIN code sequence before the vehicle can be driven.

✅ A security system that requires the driver to carry a recognised electronic security tag.

✅ Steering wheel locks and pedal locks, which provide a highly visible deterrent to offenders.

✅ Approved vehicle tracking systems to assist with vehicle recovery if stolen.

Remove Opportunities for Thieves

Please remember:

Report Suspicious Activity

Please report any suspicious behaviour around parked vehicles, including people examining vehicle grilles, door handles, or acting suspiciously in residential streets.

📞 999 if a crime is taking place.

📞 101 or report online for non-emergency matters.

Your information could help prevent a crime or identify those responsible.

East Acton Safer Neighbourhood Team

Working with residents to reduce vehicle crime and keep East Acton safe.