Vehicle Crime
| What is Vehicle Crime? |
Vehicle crime can affect many of us and cause great misery and inconvenience. Vehicle or auto crime describes when a person’s motor vehicle is targeted by a criminal who carries out a theft from the motor vehicle or a theft of the motor vehicle. |
| Who is affected? |
All motor vehicle owners are potentially at risk from car criminals. However, most vehicle crime is opportunistic and therefore preventable. |
| What does it cost? |
The Home Office puts the costs of vehicle crime at over £3.5 billion a year, excluding hidden costs to business. BCS 2000 shows the net losses reported by victims averaged: Theft from vehicle: Property £202 Damage £122 Theft of vehicle: Vehicle £2,345 Other property £347 These costs may well be underestimates, e.g. excluding indirect costs such as loss of earnings or the cost of retrieving a vehicle from the police. Apart from financial loss, 83% of respondents to the BCS 2000, who had been victims of vehicle related theft said they had been effected emotionally. |
| What help is available? |
Ø Secure your Motor media messages alert vehicle owners to the dangers of opportunistic car criminals. Ø The Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001. The Act introduced the registration of motor salvage dealers and number plate suppliers, together with the Vehicle Identity Check scheme. These measures will make it harder for thieves to sell on stolen vehicles. Ø Home Office website offers several safety tips for securing vehicles and keeping them safe plus provides links to useful websites and publications. |
| What is being done locally? |
The Vulnerable Vehicle Scheme is being coordinated by Bridgend Community Safety Partnership where if a Police Community Support Officer or Police Officer sees a car in a public place with anything left on view, the vehicle's owner is sent a letter and leaflet offering advice on how to outsmart the criminal. This message is intended to keep vehicle owners aware of removing any possession out of the vehicle or locking it away out of sight. Regular Intelligence led Police operations are mounted to combat vehicle crime. |
| Further information? |
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/vehicle-crime/ |