Police urge vigilance as officers investigate vehicle crime in Fareham

Police in Fareham are conducting enquiries and will be actively patrolling areas that have been recently affected by vehicle crime.

The type of offences that have occurred are varied, with number plate theft, tool theft, and theft of the vehicles themselves all being reported to police this week.

Incidents reported this week include:

• Overnight on 2 July, tools were stolen from a van in Cartwright Drive, Titchfield.
• Overnight on 2 July, someone tried to gain access to a vehicle in Spicewood, Fareham.
• On 3 July, police received a report that a number plate had been stolen from a car in Southampton Road, Titchfield.
• On 3 July, it was reported that tools had been stolen from a van.
• On 3 July we received reports of vans having been stolen in Newtown Road, Warsash and Winnards Park, Sarisbury Green.

Police teams are working to identify exact locations and timings of offences, and developing the bigger picture to determine any patterns of offending. We will also look to identify whether there are links to other ongoing investigations in the area and across the county.

In the meantime, we want our communities to be aware of this type of offending and to remain vigilant - if you see any suspicious individuals or vehicles in your neighbourhood, please report this to police.

You can do this by calling 101, or by reporting online at www.hampshire.police.uk

If a crime is in progress, dial 999.

Vehicle crime can take many forms and is understandably distressing for those affected – we encourage you to read the Crime Prevention Advice on our website to understand what steps you can take to keep your vehicle and your possessions secure: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/keeping-vehicles-safe/

We also encourage tool owners to protectively mark your equipment so that if it is ever lost or stolen, it can be easily returned to you when it’s found.

Some details on property marking are below - please take the time to read this and share this with your contacts, especially if you are a self-employed tradesperson:

• Wherever possible remove your tools from your vehicle and store securely overnight.
• Mark the tools clearly with your name/company name and address using paint pens and seal with a clear lacquer spray. Other property marking systems are available.
• Consider using smart/GPS tags on high value items to enable them to be tracked.
• Use a lockable cabinet within your van to store the tools during the day.
• Use a small camera designed to record within vehicles.
• Take photographs of items of value, making a note of the serial numbers and registering them online at a property register site.