THE A1 between Biggleswade and Sandy is becoming a crime corridor. During the past month police have been inundated with reports of thefts from vehicles In car parks at supermarkets and restaurants cars are being targeted by what a senior police officer s

THE A1 between Biggleswade and Sandy is becoming a crime corridor.

During the past month police have been inundated with reports of thefts from vehicles

In car parks at supermarkets and restaurants cars are being targeted by what a senior police officer says are gangs who strike quickly and then use the A1 as their getaway to commit further crime up the busy road.

Police say the gangs wait for vehicles likely to be driven by businessmen who might be travelling with expensive equipment including laptops.

"There has been a rise in crime in recent months in car parks along the A1 in our area," said Biggleswade community inspector John Maries.

"Car crime is easy because people still carry expensive laptops and other equipment travelling on business and often leave them on seats thinking just because they are going to be a few minutes they won't get stolen.

"Thieves watch cars and as soon as a target is identified they wait and see where the driver goes, knowing that if he is going to a supermarket he is going to be away from his vehicle for at least 10 minutes and if he is going for something to eat he might be away for half an hour.

"These thieves are very professional and can get into a car in a few minutes and pop the boot to see if there is anything valuable there.

"But catching thieves is very difficult because as soon as they have committed the crime they are off up or down the A1 to commit more crime."

Police say one of the ways motorists can deter thieves is make sure alarms are fitted to cars and to try and not park in remote areas of car parks.

Insp Maries says his officers regularly patrol car parks close to the A1 in an attempt to deter gangs of thieves targeting cars and will continue to do so in an attempt to reduce car crime in the area.