Morecambe police advice on how to avoid becoming a victim of vehicle crime at Christmas

A spokesman for Morecambe Police said: “It only takes a few seconds to steal from a vehicle many crimes reported to us were due to their cars simply being left unlocked!

“To avoid becoming a victim of vehicle crime this winter, follow our top tips:

*Double check that your vehicle is locked

*Never leave items on display, such as shopping bags, handbags, or coats

*Don’t leave spare keys or sat navs in your vehicle, even in the glove box

*At home, don’t leave car keys in clear view from windows or in reach from the letter box as there are devices that can be used to steal keys through letter boxes. Faraday bags are also useful for keeping your keyless fob stored as they prevent your car from being intercepted

*Never leave the engine running, especially in frosty weather, car thieves know that people do this

*If you use your vehicle for work, remove your tools or other valuables if possible

*Park where the vehicle can be well seen, even if it means walking a bit further. Don’t park behind bushes, walls or large vehicles because this gives criminals somewhere to hide. At night try to park in residential areas because people are more likely to be at home not at work.

*Consider steering locks, alarms, tracking devices and immobilisers and if you have them, use them.

Police are committed to tackling the matters which matter most to people.

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