Police warning after thieves target vans
VANS were the target of thieves in Stotfold this week, prompting a warning from police. Three owners discovered yesterday (Thursday) morning that their vehicles had been broken into. One van, at The Mixies, had the rear door lock punched out and tools sto
VANS were the target of thieves in Stotfold this week, prompting a warning from police.
Three owners discovered yesterday (Thursday) morning that their vehicles had been broken into.
One van, at The Mixies, had the rear door lock punched out and tools stolen from inside, while in Hitchin Road and Wycklond Close, windows were smashed to gain entry. Tools were again taken, and a satellite navigation system was snatched from the glove box of one.
These were the latest of a number of similar thefts in the area. Thieves often spend some time researching this type of crime and will note where vans likely to have trade tools in will be parked overnight. They then return to the area and attack all the vehicles in one night.
"We'd like to remind trades people to remove all their tools from vans at night," said area police inspector Mark Egan. "This type of thief will depend on people being complacent about being in a 'safe' area or the fact their vans are parked directly outside their homes. In fact they are experts at getting into vans without owners knowing - and in one of the cases this week were not deterred by an alarm."
He added: "Very often people who depend on these tools for their livelihood find they have not got adequate insurance to cover all the losses - not to mention the inconvenience and loss of earnings that results from tools and the vehicle being unavailable.
Most Read
- 1 Letchworth man found with 'cannabis and bread knife' in Hitchin
- 2 Where you can see the Perseid meteor shower in Hertfordshire
- 3 Everything you need to know about the August train driver strike
- 4 'Grave concerns' over survival of hospitality businesses amid rising costs
- 5 Parents rally as play café forced to close amid major cost increases
- 6 Scoring late makes it feel better than it is says Evans after Boro's late draw
- 7 Vulnerable woman is victim of alleged theft in Hitchin
- 8 Funeral of retired Stevenage school teacher hailed 'a legend'
- 9 Old Town Live organisers 'overwhelmed by response'
- 10 National award for Hitchin property company
"If you really have no alternative to leaving the tools in your van overnight, make every effort to at least put it on the drive, or back up so that the doors and rear windows are parked against a wall or hedge; use an alarm and make sure your insurance is up to date and reflects the value of your property.