Warning after sudden spike in car break-ins
MOTORISTS are being warned by police to take extra care following a spate of car break-ins.
Since Saturday there have been 10 incidents across the Daventry area, some of which are being linked by officers.
They all follow a similar pattern – either the vehicle was left unlocked, or valuables were left visible.
Team co-ordinator for Daventry police Mark Buttery said: “It is a bit of a cause for concern for us.
“These incidents really stand out against the background of low and falling crime figures for the area.
“What we think is not that suddenly more people are leaving their cars unlocked, or with bags on display, but that someone, or a group, has caught onto this.
“They’re basically going around chancing it in Davenry, Weedon, Long Buckby, and other places – they’ll go up to cars, try the door, look through the windows.
“If they think there’s something valuable inside they’ll break in if the door’s not unlocked.
“The struggle for us is reminding people to make sure their cars, and their homes, are always secure and locked.
“You shouldn’t leave anything on display in a car that looks valuable.”
Northamptonshire Police even warn drivers against leaving the marks from satnav suction pads on windows, as thieves can see them and assume the device is hidden in the glove box.
In Daventry there have been three incidences in the car parks around the leisure centre, two of which took place on Monday evening.
One of the thieves’ victims was Katie Hancox, from Stefen Hill.
She said: “It must have happened at around 8pm.
“I was parked in Golding Close behind the leisure centre, near the steps up to St John’s Square.
“I was walking back to my car and I noticed another’s window had been smashed and their stuff looked like it was over the road.
“I was calling the police to report that when I walked around and saw my car had been hit as well. They’d smashed the window and took my handbag.
“It’s a concern because I was told there’d been another similar one down the same road last week.
“I’m parking in the council office car park from now on as it’s got CCTV.”
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Weather for Daventry
Monday 20 May 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North
