Weekly round-up from your local Neighbourhood Team

Good evening all from the Shirley Neighbourhood Team,

✅ Good News from Your Local Policing Team ✅

🚨 Crime & Safety Updates — What You Need to Know 🚨

🔎 Recent Incidents/Trends:

✅ Crime Prevention Tips:

Keeping your keyless entry vehicle secure

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

·  When at home keep your car key (and the spare) well away from the car.

·  Put the keys in a screened or signal-blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag and check if the bag or pouch is still working every few months.

·  Reprogramme your keys if you buy a second hand car.

·  Turn off wireless signals on your fob when it's not being used.

Additional physical security such as locks and immobilisers are still highly recommended. 

Several arrests have been made following an incident on Stratford Road, Shirley at around 9pm on Saturday 7th February. Two boys, aged 14 and 15 years old were taken to hospital with injuries, which we believed were caused by a machete.

One of the boys has life changing injuries and another boy, aged 15, was also assaulted after being punched.

A 16 year old boy has now been charged with two counts of attempted murder, assault, and possession of a bladed article.

We understand the concern in the community following this serious incident. Since this incident, we have had extra officers on patrol in the area offering reassurance.

Our investigation is continuing and we urge witnesses or anyone with information, such as dashcam or mobile phone footage, to contact us on 101 quoting crime number 20/140175/25.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

📞 How to Contact Us or Report Information 📞

🤝🏼 Thank you for working with us to keep Shirley safe and informed. See you out and about!