Residents urged to be aware after spate of thefts from cars in Mansfield

Officers from Nottinghamshire Police’s Mansfield policing team said there were a ‘a small number of theft from unlocked motor vehicle incidents’ in the Eakring and Ravensdale areas, during the night of Monday, August 22.

Residents are now ‘being urged to do what they can to prevent themselves from becoming victims of crime’.

A spokesman said: “Most vehicle crime can be prevented.”

Advice includes not leaving items such as sat-navs, phones, wallets, sunglasses, coats and small change in unattended vehicles, as they can ‘tempt thieves to break in’.

The spokesman said: “The result is not only distress over the loss of the item, but also the financial cost and disruption of repairing damage to the vehicle.

“You may think your goods are not desirable but a thief may think differently. It is therefore strongly recommend that you remove all items from sight before leaving your car, and lock larger items in the boot.”

Motorists are also urged to think about where they are parking, particularly when it is dark or if you are leaving your vehicle for a long time.

The spokesman said: “If possible, park in a busy well-lit area. Avoid parking in secluded spots which could put both you and your car at risk. Use a lockable garage if you have access to one.

“If parking in a public car park, use one that has achieved the Park Mark Safer Parking award – this is an initiative aimed at reducing crime and the fear of crime in parking facilities.

Security tips when parking include:

Always lock all doors; Close the windows and sunroof; Activate any security devices; Never leave your keys in your vehicle; Never leave the vehicle with the engine running or the keys in the ignition; Don’t leave anything on display; Do you really need all those things in the glove box? Never store your vehicle’s documents, such as its logbook and insurance certificate, inside it; When leaving your vehicle, take out the removable radio cover, or remove the stereo if you can; Remove your sat-nav device, wipe away the sucker mark from your windscreen and remove the bracket; To prevent damage and discourage vandalism, tuck in wing mirrors and remove or put aerials down.

For more on how to keep your car safe, see crowd.in/Ttmfuk