Frosty Mornings

Frosty Mornings

Frosty morning warning, don’t make your car cosy for criminals

Dear Residents,

Now the frosty mornings are here, here are some tips and advice around defrosting your vehicles.

Thieves are opportunists, looking for an easy way to steal items of value from an unlocked or unattended vehicle. This could be cash left on display, a sat nav from the glovebox, a mobile phone from the dashboard or perhaps tools kept overnight in a work van.

Every year, vehicles are stolen from driveways and outside homes when owners leave them to warm up with the key in the ignition.

Car thieves watch the weather forecast too and will be out early in the morning on the lookout for vehicles left unattended

High value vehicles are often targeted in this way as their advanced security technology makes them difficult to steal unless they already have the engine running and the key in the ignition

Stay with your vehicle and if you’re in a rush, use de-icing spray and a scraper to speed up the process

Sit inside your vehicle while the heater de-mists the windscreen

Your insurance may not pay out if you are in any way deemed responsible for the theft

🚗Stay close to your car

❄️Purchase de-icer for quicker defrosting

🔑Keep keys and valuables close

Thieves are looking for unattended vehicles with keys in the ignition. It takes seconds to steal a vehicle but there are things you can do to prevent this.

1. Wrap up warm and stay with your vehicle whilst it defrosts

2. Buy de-icer or a windscreen scraper to help your vehicle defrost quicker

3. Keep your keys and valuables close

4. Warn your neighbours not to leave their vehicles unattended

For more information about how to protect your vehicle, visit https://www.west-midlands.police.uk/campaigns/darker-nights/robbery-theft

Report crime, get prevention advice, and see the latest news on our website http://www.west-midlands.police.uk

Please share our message with friends and family. Thank you.

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Message Sent By
Sarah Gilkes
(West Midlands Police - Coventry, PCSO, Coventry - St Michaels)