Stoke & Wyken Neighbourhood team - Greetings

Dear Residents and Local Businesses, here are a few things we have planned this week: 

The Stoke & Wyken Neighbourhood Team will be busy working in partnership with the British Transport Police, the Central BID, immigration, taxi licensing, Birmingham Community Safety Partnership, and Safer Travel Colleagues in regard to OpSceptre week. 

OpSceptre is an intensified week of action against knife crime and as part of this we will be paying visits to numerous shops around the Stoke & Wyken area, primarily around the Walsgrave Road and the Ball Hill area, educating them and providing information about not selling knives to those who are under the age of 18. 

We will also be conducting weapon sweeps in green spaces such as Stoke Heath, The Lindfield, Caludon Castle Park and parts of the River Sowe. - to remove any potentially dangerous items from the community. 

OpSceptre brings together all 43 police forces across England and Wales for intensified action against knife crime.  

Awareness and education are also vital in reducing knife crime, and they’re a focus for our neighbourhood teams. 

Across the city, neighbourhood teams are working flat out to deliver results for the communities they serve, dealing with offences from anti-social behaviour to shop theft and vehicle crime. 

Preventing Car and Vehicle Theft 

Below is some fresh knowledge and advice on how to prevent vehicle theft. There will be a few of these over the coming weeks to tackle the issue and hopefully prevent it from happening. 

1. Lock your vehicle 

Locking your vehicle, even when filling up or parked on your drive, greatly reduces the possibility of it being targeted by an opportunist thief. Even if you have locked your vehicle, check you haven’t left any windows or the sunroof open. 

It is illegal to leave your vehicle running unattended while you de-ice it or warm it up in cold weather. If someone takes it while it’s left like this, your insurer won’t pay out because you won’t be covered. 

If your vehicle has wing mirrors that fold in automatically when locked, make sure you lock it properly. Criminal gangs are looking for vehicles like these where the wing mirrors are still out because it is clear to them that the vehicle has been left unlocked. 

2. Keep the keys safe 

Vehicles today are by and large more difficult to steal than ever, unless the thief can access your key or fob to clone them. Keep your keys safe, out of view when at home, and away from your front door. It’s not uncommon for car keys to be stolen from inside your home by thieves fishing for them with a stick and hook through the letterbox. 

If you're selling your car and you meet up with a potential buyer, do not allow the keys out of your sight. Your keys may be cloned by thieves and used later to steal your vehicle. 

Keyless entry  

Cars with keyless entry unlock automatically when the key comes within a short distance of the car. This can be from inside a pocket or bag. If you have to push a button on your car key to open your car, you don't have keyless entry. 

Keyless car theft or 'relay theft' is when a device is used to fool the car into thinking the key is close by. This unlocks the car and starts the ignition. 

Thieves only need to be within a few metres of your car key to capture the signal, even if it’s inside your home. This means that even if your car and home are secure, thieves can still unlock, start and steal your car. 

How to protect your keyless entry car 

Additional physical security such as locks and immobilisers are still highly recommended. Section six on this page has more information about this. 

3. Be aware of carjackers 

The fact that you’re in the car isn’t always a deterrent to someone trying to steal it. 

In traffic, drive with the doors locked and when queuing leave enough space in front of your vehicle to enable you to get out of a tight spot. If your vehicle is bumped from behind, wait to pull over – somewhere safe and preferably where there are people. After all, you don’t know the person who has collided with you; they could well be hijackers. If you’re at all suspicious, consider calling the police. 

If someone threatens you, it’s better to hand over the keys to the vehicle than become a victim of assault. Then call 999 as soon as possible, and ask for the police. 

If your car is stolen, some modern vehicle alarm and tracker systems have the facility to isolate or shut down fuel systems, bringing the vehicle to a halt and leaving the thief high and dry. 

4. Park responsibly 

It’s always advisable to avoid parking in dark and secluded areas. It’s worth an extra five or ten-minute walk if it means your vehicle is left in a well-lit and busier street. 

And if possible, always try to park in illuminated and staffed car parks or those with a Park Mark safer parking award. To find one, simply check out Park Mark. 

5. Watch for illegal tow trucks 

Thieves often attempt to lift vehicles from the street, literally. So, if you see a towaway crew acting suspiciously – especially if their vehicle isn’t branded or if they’re not in uniform – then please report it immediately. 

As with every report of suspicious behaviour made in good faith, we’ll never blame anyone for calling us if it proves unfounded. 

Car parks with height-restricted entrances help prevent illegal tow trucks and removal vehicles. And fitting a Thatcham rated category 1 or 2 alarm system with tracking, immobilisation, anti-grab and movement sensors can help protect and trace your vehicle. 

6. Fit good in-car security locks 

Additional physical security can help to prevent your vehicle being driven away even if a thief gains entry. There are a range of security rated products tested by Sold Secure that can help, such as steering wheel locks, pedal boxes and gear stick locks. 

Some of these products, tested to Sold Secure Diamond, can even resist a small hand-held angle grinder. 

It's also worth speaking to your vehicle dealership about installing an aftermarket immobiliser approved by the manufacturer. 

Immobilisers prevent a vehicle from starting unless the correct fob, key or activation process is used. They can be personalised so that you're the only one who knows how to unset it via a number of dashboard controls. 

7. Double-check electronic locking 

Electronic devices can be used to jam the electronic signal from your key fob to lock your vehicle. Always manually check your vehicle has locked before walking away. 

If unsure, lock it manually, then scan the immediate area for anyone hanging around. If a potential thief who’s watching feels they’ve been spotted, they’ll probably move off. 

8. Before owning, check for cloning 

Changing the identity of a vehicle, known as vehicle cloning, can be as simple as adding stolen number plates. When buying a vehicle, always check the DVLA V5 document and make sure the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the vehicle is the same as on the document. 

Make sure you check more than one of the VINs as well as the engine numbers on the vehicle (see diagram).  

Check a used vehicle you’re buying. 

9. Secure your port 

Many modern vehicles are fitted with engine management diagnostic ports, which can unlock and start your vehicle. 

If your vehicle has this type of port, consider fitting a lockable cover. 

Useful links 

For more information about police preferred specification products that help to reduce the chances of vehicle crime please visit: 

Secured by Design (SBD) 

Sold Secure 

Thatcham Research 

Regarding social media, we want to make sure the updates you see from West Midlands Police on social media are useful, relevant, and engaging, and we need your help to do it. 

As part of a national survey, we're asking people across the country to share their views on what police forces post online. Whether it's local news, safety advice, behind-the-scenes, and/or updates from incidents, your feedback will help us understand what matters most to you. 

It only takes five minutes to complete the survey, but your answers will make a real difference. By telling us what you want to see, you'll be helping shape the future of social media content and ensure we're keeping communities informed in the best way possible. 

Take the survey by clicking here - https://www.police.uk/pu/notices/2025/survey/social-media-survey/ 

📞 How to Contact Us or Report Information 📞 

Non-Emergency: 101 

Emergency: 999 / 112 (if crime in progress or immediate danger) 

Report Online: West Midlands Police 

Anonymous Reporting: Crimestoppers 

Kind Regards,    

The Stoke & Wyken Neighbourhood Policing Team