In the early hours of Thursday morning a thief gained entry to at least 5 vehicles (that we know of) on Chapel Street. TomTom sat nav devices were stolen from two of the cars. The other vehicles were ransacked but nothing of value taken. Four of the 5 cars were parked on their owner’s drives during the time of the incidents. One was parked in a courtyard at the rear of the property. It is reported that some of the cars (possibly all) were not locked.

It seems likely that some rogue miscreant has walked down the street under the cover of darkness trying every car door along the way. After gaining entry it would only take a few moments to plunder anything of value.

Living in a remote rural location like Titchmarsh, we can be forgiven for being complacent and/or at times forgetful. However, this incident is a stark reminder that there are opportunist thiefs out there and they can be quite bold. We would all be well-advised to make their activities as difficult as possible.

Police Advice

Most vehicle crime is preventable. It can take as little as 10 seconds for a thief to steal something from your car. The best way to protect your belongings is to lock your car whenever you leave it. Other things you can do include:

• Removing everything from the car; don’t even leave a jacket where it can be seen
• Closing the sunroof along with the windows when you leave
• Not storing things in the boot; take them with you
• Storing car ownership information in your home, not your car
• Having a routine to ensure you always take the keys out of the ignition
• Taking removable stereos and sat nav equipment with you
• In addition, using secure (theft resistant) number plates can make your plates less attractive to thieves