Thieves sliced a hole in a van’s roof and dropped through the gap to steal the owner’s tools.
Leicestershire Police2 released a photograph of the damaged vehicle today and urged van owners to be vigilant. The force said it was highlighting the theft because of the unusual method used by the thief or thieves, which suggested the crooks had found a new way to get around traditional vehicle security measures. The van was targeted in Kennel Lane, Witherley, near Market Bosworth, overnight on Wednesday, September 28.
Also last month, a trader in Woodville, near Ashby, reported a similar theft to the force, saying he had lost carpentry tools worth an estimated 1,000. A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said the crooks in Witherley cut a three-sided hole in the roof and forced it downwards, before jumping inside and helping themselves to the contents. In a statement, the force issued a set of general crime prevention measures vehicle owners, particularly traders, should always follow.
It said: “Try to park in well lit areas and if parking your van at home, think about installing security lighting.
“Usually we recommend parking your vehicle near a wall so that it is more difficult to access the doors, however it seems that thieves have become wise to this and are now looking for other ways to get in.
“The best advice we can give is to not leave valuables, such as tools, in your van if possible.
“We also recommend investing in a good van alarm system. These alarm systems have cargo sensors built into them in the cargo area that sets off a loud siren that is designed to deafen and disorientate any intruders.”
Last month, police issued a similar warning following a spate of more conventional thefts during which thieves forced vehicle doors open or smashed their windows. Officers said the force had received 26 reports of attempted or successful thefts from traders’ vehicles in just one week.
A similar series of thefts occurred earlier this year, with vehicles targeted outside their owners’ homes and in car parks.
References
- ^ Comments (0) (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Leicestershire Police (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)