Theft Of Motor Vehicle Prevention Advice

Theft Of Motor Vehicle Prevention Advice

I wanted to provide an update regarding the theft of motor vehicles,  which members around this area have highlighted as an issue of concern on the Met Engage priority survey.

Following recent occurrences of Motor Vehicle Thefts and Attempted thefts in Cheam and across Sutton generally, I would like to advise all our lovely residents that we are taking steps to combat these thieves.

Officers from our sister clusters have been undertaking late night shifts as a visible deterrent. This is across Sutton and will hopefully have the desired effect.

As always, if you see anything suspicious, please contact police on 999. We would much rather be cautious than care free.

During my patrols on Cheam, I have seen many Ring doorbell cameras and CCTV Cameras. Please ensure if you have any footage that may be relevant, please save and send through as soon as possible through the official MPS Channels.

We know that people can be concerned about the personal and financial impact of having their vehicle stolen, which is why we will pursue and arrest those who break the law. Please consider taking the following steps to keep your vehicle safe:  

• Check that your vehicle is locked and secure every time you leave it. Thieves often look for easy opportunities to steal from vehicles. They will usually try the handles until they get lucky and find one that has been left unlocked.  

• Keep your keys safe, out of view when at home and away from your front door.  

• If you have a keyless entry vehicle, keep the key well away from the vehicle while at home and turn off wireless signals on your fob when its not being used. Consider putting the keys in a screened or signal blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag and check that it is still working every few months.  

• Park your vehicle in a private garage if you can. If you don’t have access to one, try to park in a well –lit open space.  

• Try to use public car parks that are part of the police approved Park Mark safer parking scheme.  

• Secure your number plates with tamper resistant screws to avoid them being stolen and used by others.

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