Hertfordshire Constabulary is keen to reunite dozens of power tools with their rightful owners after a huge haul of stolen goods were recovered during a police operation in Waltham Cross.
An increase in van breaks across the county over the last year has seen hundreds of power tools being stolen. In comparison to the same period last year (April 2016 – September 2016), theft from motor vehicle offences in Hertfordshire has increased by just over 22 per cent this year.
To tackle the problem, targeted operations like the one in Waltham Cross have been run to drive down these offences, identify the offenders responsible and put a permanent stop to the crimes.
Officers conducting an intelligence-led operation searched two stolen vehicles parked in Barbel Close on Wednesday September 6. Another vehicle parked close by was found to be filled with tool boxes and power tools.
Further investigations resulted in the arrest of a 32-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman, both from Waltham Cross, on suspicion of thefts from motor vehicles and handling stolen goods. They have been released pending further investigations.
Chief Inspector for Broxbourne Ian Butler said: “Over the past year we have seen a rise in thefts from vans, which appear to be specifically targeting tools. “As part of an on-going campaign to drive down vehicle crime, these operations are being carried out across the county and we have made numerous arrests and recovered what we believe to be a substantial number of stolen items.
“We will now work to identify the owners’ of any items that have been stolen, so if you have had a van broken into and tools stolen in the past year, especially if they had any distinguishing marks or recorded serial numbers please do contact us on 01992 533277 quoting ref ISR 843 of 06/09/17.
“This type of crime is still a concern and I would urge anyone who carries tools around in their vehicles to get them security marked. Engraving or marking your tools makes them less attractive as they are harder for thieves to sell on. It is also easier to return them to their rightful owners if they are ever stolen and later recovered by police.”
Keeping your van and tools safe Vans are often targeted by thieves for their tools. Here are a few simple tips the Constabulary would recommend to help secure your van and its contents:
- It might sound obvious, but make sure you lock the doors and shut the windows whenever you leave your van unattended.
- Never leave any valuables visible – keep ALL possessions out of sight. Even if you know that there is nothing valuable in your jacket pocket or file left on the seat, a thief may try their luck.
- Remove tools from your van when left unattended.
- If removal of tools is not possible, fit a tool safe and ensure it is fully secured with good quality locks.
- Consider parking your van close to a hedge or wall in order to restrict access for anyone trying to get inside.
- Engrave or mark tools and their boxes with your postcode and house number.
- Fit additional locks external locks to van doors.
- Use an approved steering lock or gear clamps, and remember to set your immobiliser and alarm if you have one.
- Fit a dual band tracking device that works on VHF/UHF and GPS to ensure that one tracking system is still functioning if criminals use GPS blocking techniques to avoid detection. Purchase devices to ‘Thatcham’ and ‘SBD’ approval to combat this type of vehicle theft, as vehicles equipped with a tracking device are often promptly recovered.
- Use a “Pedal Box Guard” to encase the pedals when the vehicle is not in use.
- Fit an on-board diagnostic (OBD) safe device, a secure lockable device that fits over the vehicle’s OBD port, inside the cabin, to prevent additional keys being coded.
- Do not buy tools offered to you for sale in unusual circumstances, such as at a pub. It is likely they will be stolen and this will help to continue the cycle of tool thefts.
- We recommend products that are “Sold Secure”, see their website for details: www.soldsecure.com or “Secured By Design”, see their website: www.securedbydesign.com
- Hertfordshire residents can get a 10 per cent discount on vehicle security products through www.protectavan.co.uk.