Police are warning van drivers to be on the guard after a string of thefts across the Taff area of Rhondda Cynon Taff.
Police are warning van drivers to be on the guard after a string of thefts across the Taff area of Rhondda Cynon Taff.
There have been a number of incidents recently where work equipment and tools have been stolen from Ford Transit vans.
Officers in the Rhondda Cynon Taff area are urging anyone who uses a work van to keep their vehicles secure at all times and not to leave anything in them overnight.
Carl Elliott, Crime Reduction Advisor, said: “We are aware of a series of thefts from vans across the area at the moment and we are working hard to try and identify and catch those responsible. It is really important that anyone who uses a van for work that they try their best to make life difficult for thieves, and take appropriate security measures.
“Criminals know that cars and vans are still easier targets than homes and other means of stealing property so we would advise everyone to take sensible precautions to protect their vehicles.
“The safest way to avoid your van becoming a target for theft is to remove all property from within so there is nothing to attract a thief and to put a note to this effect in the window. If possible people should park their vehicles in a secure location or in areas with street lighting.”
“Thieves will always be looking at new ways to get around standard security measures so van owners should also consider buying additional security devices.”
All five thefts were reported yesterday morning, Tuesday 13th October. The thefts occurred in the Talbot Green, Llanharan, Beddau and Llantwit Fadre.
Carl Elliott added: “We are keen to hear from anyone that was in the area on these dates, and who may have witnessed anything suspicious, in order to aid our investigation into these offences. We would encourage anyone who sees any suspicious activity to report it to police on 101 if you believe a crime is in progress”.
“We would urge people to follow our crime prevention advice, to help protect you from being a victim of vehicle crime, and always remember to lock doors and windows securely”.
Anyone with information can call police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
