Rise in vehicle crime in Basildon
Officers are asking people to be vigilant
There's been a rise in vehicles thefts across Basildon.
Officers say Ford Fiestas have proved popular targets recently but a number of higher-value vehicles have also been stolen in the area.
Overall, vehicle crimes increased across Basildon by 2.5% in the year to January compared to the previous 12 months.
Police did add they're seeing a downward trends in the last three months.
Inspector Steve Parry says;
“We encourage people to ensure their vehicles are secure, which means fitting appropriate security devices, parking them in a lit area if you don’t have a lockable garage and, if you’ve got the opportunity, installing CCTV or doorbell cameras.”
“A lot of tradespeople come to Basildon to work and we are working with hotels to allow them to store tools in their rooms overnight. The hotels also liaise with each other and warn each other of incidents, as well as reporting them to us.
“We also seek to recover stolen vehicles wherever we can. Some vehicles are fitted with tracking devices but we also rely on the public to look out for unfamiliar vehicles parked up in their road or parking area."