Thieves smashed through a lock to steal tools from a van in Biggleswade.

The Comet: The broken lock on the van in Biggleswade.The broken lock on the van in Biggleswade. (Image: Archant)

The theft in Mead Road happened between 5pm last week and 9.30am the next morning – and in the absence of CCTV or witnesses, police say they have filed the investigation until they get further information.

A force spokeswoman said: “In the absence of any CCTV or witnesses, the investigation has been filed pending any further information coming to light.

“Scenes of crime officers will assess the circumstances surrounding the incident, and if deemed appropriate they will attend to recover any evidence.

“Bedfordshire Police takes all reports of theft seriously, and would encourage anyone with any information about the incident to call police.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting crime reference JD/9482/2017, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or crimestoppers-uk.org.

The force also issued the following advice:

• Never leave tools in your van overnight – it may be worth having a sign in your vehicle that states no tools are left in it overnight.

• Park your vehicle in a well-lit spot that is visible to other members of the public, or covered by CCTV.

• Don’t leave things on show in your car, and don’t leave valuables in the glove-box of your car.

• It’s better to store items in the boot at your point of departure, not the point of arrival – you don’t know who may be watching.

• Property marking cannot prevent your goods from being stolen, but it is a very good deterrent as it is difficult to sell on stolen property that has been marked. It also allows the police to return recovered stolen goods to their rightful owner. Mark your property with your house or flat number and postcode.