Police in Porthcawl are urging surfers at Rest Bay to be careful with their property whilst riding the waves.
The Porthcawl Neighbourhood Policing Team are currently running two operations to crack down on vehicle theft in the Rest Bay area, after surfers have reported having their cars stolen by opportunist thieves.
Sgt. Mike Davies said: “Rest Bay is a popular spot amongst the surfing community, and we want it to remain a safe area for residents and visitors to enjoy. It’s really important for surfers to remain vigilant with their property when they are out at sea.”
“Recently, we have dealt with incidents where surfers have had their cars stolen after hiding their keys in the vicinity of the vehicle. Doing this may prevent their keys getting wet as they surf, but it also provides watching thieves the opportunity to steal their car once they are safely in the water.”
As part of Operation St Lucia and Operation Rest Bay, decoy cars are being used by officers at the beach car park in a bid to catch thieves red-handed. Officers are also carrying out extra high-visibility patrols of the car park to observe the area and offer crime prevention advice to surfers and other residents. CCTV continues to carefully monitor the vicinity.
Officers have also been sending out crime prevention messages on surfing forums in a bid to spread the message to potential Rest Bay visitors.
Sgt. Davies added: “Most wet suits have a key pocket, so we’re urging surfers to make use of them or buy a small waterproof bag to tie around their waist and stash their keys in. Don’t hide them near your car, and don’t take anything valuable when going to surf. Park as close to CCTV cameras as possible, and be aware that people may be watching. If you see anything suspicious, please report it.”