People urged to park close to walls after rise in crimes

There is a warning from police about a rise in the number of cars being broken into in Cheltenham [1]. Thieves are gaining entry to vehicles and stealing items left inside. Gloucestershire police are urging people to be vigilant.

Most of the crimes have happened in the Hester's Way and St Mark's part of the town, but police think thieves aren't limiting themselves to these locations. Officers have issued a Community Alert [2] following the increase in thefts. Advice has also been given by Gloucestershire police to help reduce the risk of being targeted, including parking cars close to walls and fences.

The alert reads: "We're asking residents to please be vigilant following a rise in reports of thefts from motor vehicles across Cheltenham. A number of incidents of theft from vehicles have been reported with the majority taking place in St Mark's and Hester's Way however other areas may have been targeted too. "These incidents have seen offenders enter cars before searching inside and stealing a number of different items.Vehicle crime is often opportunistic and officers are asking the public to please check that car doors are locked and that personal belongings/valuables are removed where possible."

How to prevent thefts from cars

Parking vehicles close to walls, fences, kerbs and garages to make entering your vehicle more difficult
Where possible parking your car in a locked garage
Consider CCTV, security lights and alarms where possible

For advice on ways to help keep your vehicle safe, you can get more information here [4].

Anyone who witnesses suspicious activity or is targeted by a vehicle break-in is asked to call 101 or 999 if a crime is in progress, or report it here [5].

References

^ Cheltenham (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
^ Community Alert (www.yourcommunityalerts.co.uk)
^ Man suffers life-changing injury in vicious assault outside Cheltenham Racecourse (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
^ here (www.gloucestershire.police.uk)
^ here (www.gloucestershire.police.uk)