Leave it on show, expect it to go!
13/06/2012
“I needed money to buy drugs so I used to
target any kind of car to look for laptops, cameras, binoculars,
and golf clubs - anything I could get my hands on.
“I would leave locked cars that had nothing on
display - there wasn’t any point in targeting those as I needed to
make money to buy my drugs.”
These are the words of a man who used to be
involved in theft from vehicles who is now helping North Wales
Police with the latest Vehicle Crime Prevention Campaign.
Under the strap line “Leave it on show, expect
it to go” the campaign, which aims to reduce the number of thefts
from vehicles, has been launched with a film, featuring the
convicted man warning vehicle owners of the dangers of leaving
valuables on display.
The campaign is in response to figures that
show an increase in the number of incidents reported to the police,
with figures showing a 14% increase between January 1st
and April 30th when compared to the same period in
2011.
“The majority of these crimes are completely
avoidable,” said Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Williams, North
Wales Police Strategic Lead for Vehicle Crime.
“A significant number of reported crimes to
the police involve either unlocked vehicles, items on display
inside the car or a combination of both.”
“If people exercise some simple security
habits, they are far less likely to become victims of this type of
crime. Nothing of any value should ever be left on display inside
the car, even for a short time. Little things such as a coat
or a carrier bag will tempt a thief to believe that it contains
something of value. If there is nothing on show, they are likely to
move on; they do not want to increase their chances of being caught
by spending time searching for items to steal.”
“Leaving items such as bags, laptop and mobile
phones on display in your vehicle is an open invitation for a
thief. It only takes a few seconds to take valuables out of a car,
please don’t make it easy for them.
“North Wales Police takes vehicle crime very
seriously and we will do everything we can to bring offenders to
justice.”
The 48-year-old man, who is assisting with the
campaign, first began stealing from cars when he was just
seven-years-old.
“I would leave locked cars that had nothing on
display - there wasn’t any point in targeting those as I needed to
make money to buy my drugs.
“I needed money to buy drugs such as heroin,
amphetamine and cannabis. I just used to target any kind of car, I
was only going to be there seconds and once I’d smashed the windows
I was in and then gone.
“I used to look for laptops, cameras,
binoculars, golf clubs - anything I could get my hands on. I’d then
take them round to my mates and sell them to get money for my
drugs.
“Sometimes I’d get a list of what people
wanted and then sell them what they needed for me to get my
money.
“I’d target about 20 or 30 cars a day, and
these would be parked in car parks or streets in quiet areas. I
think I’ve stolen from around 1,500 cars in total.
He added: “My advice to people is to not to
leave items in your car. Take them with you or lock them in your
boot - nothing is really safe in your car.”
If you know of someone who is committing car
crime, or involved with the selling of stolen goods, please contact
North Wales Police on the non-emergency number 101, or 0300 330
0101. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers Wales anonymously on
0800 555 111.
The campaign is being co-ordinated by the
North Wales Police Community Safety Team, who provide support and
guidance across the Force in a variety of different areas, with a
significant focus on crime reduction and prevention.
Further advice regarding how to keep your
vehicle and belongings safe can be found in our Advice & Support section