Police are calling on vehicle owners in Richmond to help them fight car-related crimes. Richmond may be one of the safest districts in London, but car break-ins are one of the few areas of crime in the borough which are on the up.
Borough Commander Det Chief Supt Rick Turner has warned motorists they are “giving crime a chance” by forgetting to lock their cars or leaving valuable items like laptops, sat navs and mobile phones on display in cars: “It’s everyone’s responsibility to lock their valuables away and not to leave vehicles insecure and with property in view, otherwise you’re just inviting thieves to help themselves,” he said.
317 cars were broken into in Richmond in the first few months of this year, and 80% of these were targeted because valuables had been left inside the vehicle. Some of these items had been left insecure and on display, including the 27 laptops that were stolen from parked vehicles.
Turner added: “The police and Council have worked incredibly hard during the last year to bring crime down for the benefit of everyone who lives here and runs a business, but we can only do so much. The figures speak for themselves.
“At the moment, criminals are being handed your property on a plate. It’s simple - lock criminals out and secure your cars. Together we can beat crime and keep our borough the safest in London.”
The police and Richmond Council are both urging drivers to lock their valuables out of sight when they leave their cars or, better still, remove them entirely.
