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Police 'steal' valuables in a lesson for drivers prevent theft
Ruth Bloomfield25 Aug 2009
Police are removing valuables from unlocked cars to shock motorists into being more careful.
Officers are taking everything from handbags to satnavs, and leaving a note telling drivers their property is at a local police station.
The scheme is being tried out in Richmond, which has a disproportionately high level of thefts from cars - up 40 per cent in a year. Police from the area's Safer Neighbourhood teams are being told to look out for cars with open windows or doors.
If they find valuables on display they will try to find the owner nearby, but if they cannot they will take the goods to Twickenham police station. Drivers who leave their car unlocked but with nothing on display will get a letter telling them to be more careful.
The project has the backing of Richmond council, which agreed to it after a surge in thefts to 300 between April and July, a fifth of which were from unlocked cars.
David Williams, the council's cabinet member for community safety, said: "We have the lowest level of crime per head of any borough. However, one problem we have got is too many thefts from motor vehicles. The main reason for this is sheer thoughtlessness and carelessness by car owners."
He said most people who had their things taken from their cars by police were "relieved" and found it helpful.
Luke Bosdet, a spokesman for the AA, was cautious about the project. "Not everyone will react well to having to go to the police station to retrieve their property. However, if they are stupid enough to leave items in an unlocked car then a gentle reminder is perhaps what they need," he said.
OVERNITE
POLICE officers are removing valuables from unlocked cars in an effort to shock motorists into being more careful with their possessions.
Officers are taking everything from hand bags to sat-navs and golf clubs, and leaving the driver a note informing them their possessions have been taken to a local police station for collection.
The scheme is being tried out in Richmond, which has a disproportionately high level of thefts from cars - up 40 per cent in a single year.
Police from the area's safer neighbourhood schemes are being told to look out for cars with open windows or their doors left ajar.
If they find valuables on display they will take them and try to find the owner nearby.
But if they cannot the "stolen" goods will be taken to Twickenham police station and the drivers left a note explaining what has happened.
Those who leave their car unsecured but with nothing on display will get a letter telling them to be more careful.
The project has the backing of Richmond Council which agreed to it after a surge in thefts, up 40 per cent on the previous year to 300 between April and July this year. A fifth involve thefts from unlocked cars.
Councillor David Williams, the council's cabinet member for community safety, said: "We are proud in Richmond upon Thames to be the safest borough in London. We have the lowest level of crime per head of any borough.
"However one problem we have got is too many thefts from motor vehicles which have gone up significantly in the last year.
"The main reason for this is sheer thoughtlessness and carelessness by car owners. People leaving lap tops and brief cases and hand bags and sat navs on view in cars which are not locked.
"The police have been very pro-active about this.
"The universal reaction from the people this has happened to is relief and acceptance that this was a helpful thing to do."
Mr Williams said it was hoped that "word would get around" about the operation, and drivers would become more security conscious.
"The last thing we want is for criminals to feel that Richmond, which I imagine has a higher than average value of cars on the street, is somewhere where there is opportunity for crime because people leave things in open cars," he said.
"We want to change the pattern. People think that because Richmond is a safe place it is all right to leave cars open, and that is not the case.
"The other issue is that if Richmond gets a reputation for car thefts then all our insurance premiums will go up."
A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said: "We are trying to prevent people from becoming victims."
Luke Bosdet, a spokesman for the AA, gave the pilot a cautious welcome.
"If there has been a spate of thefts then this is absolutely the right thing to do," he said.
"I can see that not everyone will react well to having to go all the way down to the police station to retrieve their own property, however if they are stupid enough to leave high level items in an unlocked car then a gentle reminder is perhaps what they need.
"Leaving valuables in your car is a stupid thing to do, particularly at this time of year when kids are not at school and might perhaps be tempted by an open car in a way they would not otherwise be."
ENDS.
Reader views (12)
@Steven - I also believe you are totally wrong to say that people "deserve" to get things stolen if they leave their cars unlocked.
It may be unwise or temping fate to do so but it's ridiculous to suggest evolution has led us to a point where theft is "deserved".
- Drew, London, 25/08/2009 16:44
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I can see the reasoning behind in but I don't agree that this is a good way to change peoples actions. What about the shock, concern, stress, time etc that will be involved to get your belongings back. And we all know that a very condescending office will be there awaiting the collection of your good to advise you not to do it again.
I know the law states that its not theft unless it can be proven that you plan to permanently deprive a person of their belongings but I see that as being beside the point. Personally if this happened to me I would be contacting my solicitor as at the very least it is trespass and unlawful entry, in the worst case I'd imagine a solicitor could find a multitude of different cases to bring.
Imagine someone leaving their phone in there car by accident, they nip back 10 minutes later to retrieve it. In this time a loved one has been trying to contact them about some urgent family matter. The person then has to contact the police, travel to the police station, undoubtedly sign multi pieces of paper to et their phone back. In all this time something serious could have occurred which could have been prevented simply with that person answering their phone asap.
At the end of the day this is a publicity stunt, making it look like the police are being proactive in providing a solution to a problem that is rife. In reality it is poorly conceived and actioned. Back to the drawing board I think.
- Sean, Derby, 25/08/2009 15:43
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Drew, obviously the Police are attmepting to trace the owners of the valuable property that is in view in an unlocked car.
You could do it but cant see how you would be able to trace the owner of a vehicle when you have no idea who the owner is.
- Steven Jones, london, 25/08/2009 15:24
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"in law theft is only proved if they thief has the intention to permanently deprive the owner of the property, which the police obviously dont"
So we can all do this then? Take something from an open car for a few hours?
- Drew, London, 25/08/2009 13:02
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Perhaps the Metropolitan Police have become bored with their Stasi-like practice of equipping special 'entrapment vehicles' to lure their fellow citizens into committing crimes that wouldn't otherwise take place.
But if they have so much time on their hands why don't they just solve a few real crimes instead?
- Peter Crosby, Highgate, London, 25/08/2009 10:29
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Yeah... calm down Chris.
The idea is to shock people into taking action, it's nothing but friendly local community minded policing. Basically, the way it used to be before people like you brought your solicitors into it.
- Evan Skuthorpe, London, 25/08/2009 10:25
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Chris, they wont 'nick' anything because in law theft is only proved if they thief has the intention to permanently deprive the owner of the property, which the police obviously dont.
But if people are stupid enough to leave valuables in view in the car and leave it unlocked then maybe they deserve to get things stolen
- Steven Jones, london, 25/08/2009 10:20
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Is this not promoteing thiefs to steal in this area by giveing them insight for target area ??
- Darren Hendrickson, surrey, 25/08/2009 10:09
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Thanks for that. I now know what to do next time the bin men go on strike.
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark, 25/08/2009 10:06
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@Chris, It's too late to worry about that, PCSOs in Hove have already been climbing in through people's open windows.
- Matstace, London, 25/08/2009 09:57
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Is Richmond where Monty Python shot the "Upper Class Twit of the Year" sketch? If not, why not?
- Bob, Cheam, 25/08/2009 09:57
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This is insane, the police are out of control in this country. What are they going to do next, break into my house and steal my TV because it can been seen through the window? If they break into my car and nick anything they'll be hearing from my solicitor.
- Chris, London, 25/08/2009 09:21
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