Vehicle Crime

Dear Resident,

This is a letter from West Midlands Police.  We are seeing a rise in car crime across Selly Oak and Edgbaston constituencies – and would appear over the weekend Ford vehicles were targeted.

We are working with our colleagues from criminal investigation and roads policing teams to identify those involved in crime happening locally to catch and bring car thieves to justice. However, prevention is always better and that is why we are contacting you with some information and advice to help you protect yourself and your possessions from crime.

Thieves have used different methods to take or damage vehicles like yours. Below is some information and advice about these different types of crime, in a bid to help keep you and your possessions safe: 

1.  Car Key Burglary – Protect your home by installing ‘Anti-Snap’ locks on doors SS312 Diamond Approved Cylinder, TS007 3 Star Kitemarked Cylinder, or a 1 Star Cylinder with 2 Star handle for maximum protection]. Don’t leave tools accessible in the garden. Avoid leaving your car keys in obvious places (like kitchen drawers / by the door). Keep your keys out of sight. Where possible, use cameras or video doorbells.

2. Signal Blocking – Check that your car door is locked by checking the handle, as thieves may use a system to block the signal from your key to the car. This means that the vehicle is left ‘unlocked’. Thieves then use a device to plug into the vehicle which means they can start it and drive away.  To prevent this, use a signal blocking key pouch and use a steering lock – we suggest the Disk lock type that covers the whole steering wheel. 

3. Signal Relay Extending – Thieves can extend the signal generated by your car key to your car. From this they are able to unlock and start the vehicle. Use a signal blocking key pouch to prevent this and use a steering lock to deter criminals. You can also buy signal blocking boxes for multiple keys in a household. Don’t forget to also store spare keys in the pouch or box as these will also omit the signal if thieves target you or your property.

4.  Catalytic Converter Theft - Thieves could target the undercarriage of your vehicle, they cut out the catalytic converter on the exhaust system as it contains valuable metal. Locks are available to fit to your catalytic converter. 

As part of your general crime prevention, we always recommend owners take all recall opportunities from your car’s manufacturer as these may include critical security updates that can keep your car safe. 

We always welcome information that can support our investigations, so if you notice suspicious activity, please get in contact by calling 101 or dial 999 in an emergency. Where possible, if you have descriptions of vehicles being used, especially registration plates, this is really helpful as we work to identify those involved.

Kind regards

PCSO 30847 Ant Henry