Police warn people to be vigilant after a number of thefts from vehicles

Police in West Cumbria are asking people to be more vigilant against vehicle crime after a number of cars were broken into yesterday. In four incidents, three car windows were smashed and one car door was forced open and property removed from all of the vehicles.

The incidents all occurred on Thursday 12 July and are detailed as follows: Audi A6 had a window smashed between 2:00 pm and 3:50 pm whilst parked at Brundholme Road, Keswick. House keys and documents detailing name and address were removed and later that day entry had been gained to their home, with nothing being stolen.

Two incidents occurred at Buttermere, Cockermouth. Between 12:30 pm and 7:00 pm a Vauxhall Corsa, which was parked near to the Bridge Hotel, had a window smashed and a handbag, along with contents, stolen. In another incident in the area, a Peugeot 107 was broken into after one of the car doors was forced open. This happened between 5:40 pm and 7:50 pm and a laptop and laptop case was taken.

A Peugeot 207 was broken into whilst parked at Townhead Barn, Threlkeld between 1:15 pm and 4:30 pm. A window had been smashed and a handbag, along with contents was taken. Offenders then proceeded to try and use the cash card at the cash machine located at the Post Office in Keswick. They were unsuccessful in withdrawing any money and the machine retained the card.

Detective Sergeant Jason Robinson said: “We are asking members of the public to be vigilant against opportunistic thieves, and want to send out a strong reminder not to leave any items on show in your car. Anything which can be seen is like an advertisement to thieves and they will take any opportunity.

“Visitors into Cumbria need to also be aware, Cumbria is a safe place to visit and we do have one of the lowest crime rates in the Country. However, this does not mean anyone should be complacent. If you are in the Lake District and going for a walking or visiting one of the tourist locations, double check your vehicle is secure. If you have to leave any belongings inside, don’t leave anything on show, take anything of value with you or if this is not possible, try to conceal it inside.

“Handbags can contain a vast amount of personal information, so you should always try and take it with you. If planning on going somewhere, then have a look to see what you don’t need. Letter and items with name and addresses on will give thieves the location of your home and if your house keys are in your bag, then they will take the opportunity to steal even more from you. Never have pin numbers in your wallet or stored in your mobile phone, thieves will use this information to gain access to your bank account.

“By taking a few basic precautions, we can make it as difficult as possible for criminals to make us a victim.” Police officers from Allerdale Rural have been carrying out extra patrols in the area and will be leaving safety advice leaflets on cars to remind people to be vigilant.
If you see anyone acting suspiciously or have any information about the incidents,
please contact Cumbria Police on 101.