Man arrested on Suspension of theft of a motor vehicle

Dear Resident

A man was arrested and a van was recovered after it was reported stolen in #HemelHempstead earlier this week.

Police were called at around 7.55am on Tuesday (6 January) to report that a Ford Transit had been stolen from outside a residential address while it was defrosting.

Officers attended and carried out a search of the area, locating the van parked up around 30 minutes later.

Fast-time enquiries then led to a man being arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle just after 10am.

The investigation is continuing.

Thieves targeted 37 vehicles in #Dacorum during December, stealing valuables, tools and other items.

Sadly, it takes just seconds for a thief to strike, items left on display can be enough to entice them.

Taking some simple precautions can help stop your vehicle from becoming a target:

 Always ensure that your vehicle is fully locked and secured when leaving it unattended - even if it's just for a few minutes.

 If your vehicle has an alarm or immobiliser, ensure these are enabled.

 Never leave valuable items such as bags, wallets, laptops or phones on display.

Also remove items such as leads, sunglasses, coats and loose change.

 Consider installing CCTV or a doorbell camera.

When defrosting a windscreen, please follow these simple steps:

• Check the windscreen wipers are switched off before starting the ignition. Leaving them running when a windscreen is frozen can cause damage.

• Start the engine and use the warm air blower on the windscreen.

• Remove any snow from the vehicle.

• Use a scraper and de-icer to remove ice from the windows. Avoid using boiling water which can cause windscreens to crack.

• Stay with running vehicles while they defrost.

• Check the weather forecast and cover the windscreen with a blanket or windscreen protector when frost is due overnight.

Visit https://orlo.uk/584y4 for more vehicle security advice.