Knowsley Council are joining Knowsley’s local policing team in urging residents to be especially vigilant when it comes to looking after their vehicles during the warmer months.
People are more likely to leave windows and doors open during the warmer months, leaving their vehicle and their possessions at risk.
During the summer months in 2022, incidents of vehicle thefts in Knowsley were 82% higher than during the winter months.*
Knowsley Local Policing Inspector Andrew Robinson said: “We encourage residents to remain vigilant throughout the year, however as we experience warm weather during the summer months people are more likely to have their windows open and forget to close them. We urge you to pay particular attention to looking after your vehicle and here we share some simple steps that will help to keep you and your property safe.”
- Lock your vehicle when parked on your drive. This greatly reduces the possibility of it being targeting by an opportunistic thief.
- Keep your keys safe, and out of view when at home.
- Double check electric locking. Electric devices can be used by criminals to jam the electronic signal from your keyfob, always check that your vehicle is locked before walking away.
- Contact your dealer and check if your vehicle has any outstanding software updates, which may improve security.
- Check if the keyless fob can be turned off/on, your dealer can confirm and advise how to do this.
- Be vigilant, and report any suspicious activity in your neighbourhood to the police.
You can also find crime prevention advice available on Merseyside Police’s website. Here you can find out how to safeguard your vehicle.
Always call 999 if a theft is in progress and you can also report any information on suspected theft and sale of stolen vehicles via @MerPolCC or anonymously to @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111 or via their online form
Residents are also asked to report any suspicious people, vehicles or behaviour via 101 or online here.
*Based on the average number of vehicle thefts in Knowsley between June and September 2022 compared to the period between December 2022 and March 2023.