Wiltshire Police are urging people who own vehicles with keyless start systems in the Salisbury area to be mindful of security following a number of thefts in recent weeks.
On February 2, a Volvo XC40 which was parked securely on a driveway in the city was stolen whilst the keys were inside the address.
The vehicle has since been recovered in the Thames Valley area.
On January 31, a Ford Kuga Titanium 4x4 was stolen. Both sets of keys were inside the house when the theft happened and the car had been left locked overnight.
And on January 25, a Ford Ranger XLT Thunder was stolen, having been left locked up and secure.
Insp Tina Osborn said: “Reports of this nature are taken extremely seriously – we understand the impact that the theft of such a vehicle can have on the victims. Not only financially, but it can cause huge disruption to someone’s life, especially if the vehicle is their only means of getting to and from work or caring for family members. It can leave victims feeling extremely vulnerable.
“Extensive enquiries in relation to these latest incidents are being undertaken and we continue to work closely with neighbouring forces as often those who commit these types of crimes will travel further afield in a bid to evade police.”
There are a number of steps that can be taken to help protect your vehicle, so please make sure you are aware of the following advice.
• Keep your vehicle locked, windows shut and your keys secure. • Put the key card/fob in a Faraday case/pouch to block any transmissions. • Park the vehicle in a locked garage where possible. • Where possible, park in a well-lit area and in clear view of your property and any CCTV cameras. • Do not leave any valuables such as wallets, phones, Sat Navs etc. on display. • Use an additional steering lock. • Mark the items of property/tools that are stored in the vehicle using an artificial DNA property marker such as Smartwater or SelectaDNA. • If you have a second, non-keyless vehicle, park that behind the high value one. • Check with your car dealership as they can offer advice and the manufacturer/dealer can often track the vehicle if it is stolen. • If the vehicle is a company car, check with your fleet managers who can offer crime prevention and tracking advice.Further advice can be found here: Relay Theft (securedbydesign.com)
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