Neighbourhood officers issue advice after cars left insecure in Maidstone

Officers encourage owners to lock their vehicles and take valuables with them

Motorists in Maidstone are being urged to ensure their vehicles are kept secure after neighbourhood officers found seven vehicles parked and insecure in Maidstone one evening.

Cars left insecure

Two neighbourhood officers patrolled the outskirts of Maidstone town centre on Wednesday 7 November, on the look out for cars which had been left insecure following a recent spate of thefts from insecure motor vehicles. The officers found seven vehicles that would have been appealing to a thief. Some had doors unlocked, other windows opened. Other cars had valuable items such as mobile phones, cash and bags on clear view.

Crime prevention

The officers spoke to the owners of the cars and also handed out leaflets providing information about vehicle crime prevention.

'Literally seconds'

Inspector Geoff Wyatt said: ‘It takes a thief literally seconds to steal your belongings from a car. By simply locking your car, removing valuables and taking them with you will reduce this crime.

“A thief will wander around a neighbourhood looking for opportunities; by removing items from your car you remove the opportunity. By remaining vigilant you can keep your car and personal possessions safe and prevent the upset, cost and inconvenience of having to repair car windows and replace stolen items.”

Top tips to keep your car safe

lock the doors and close the windows and sunroof whenever you leave the car
don't leave anything on display - even a jacket can seem like an appealing target for a thief
take valuables like laptops and sat navs with you
wipe away suction marks from your sat nav on the windscreen or dashboard
remove the stereo if you can
never leave the keys in the ignition
tuck in wing mirrors and put the aerial down to discourage vandals
a Thatcham approved immobiliser or steering lock can help secure older vehicles
park in a garage, secure car park or well lit area if possible
consider having windows etched with the vehicle registration number
make a note of the chassis number
make sure you don't leave your car keys visible from the outside of your home