In the run up to Christmas Dorset Police is running a Twitter campaign called #dp_vehiclecrime to remind all motorists to be vigilant and not to become a target for thieves. This forms part of the Dorset Police Countdown to Christmas campaign, #DPXmascountdown.
The Twitter campaign, in which all reported thefts from motor vehicles in a recent 24 hour period will be tweeted together with crime prevention advice, will take place on Thursday 5 December. There will be a live feed of all tweets on the Dorset Police website.
The aim of the campaign is to highlight to the public that although there has been a fall in vehicle crime, thefts from motor vehicles is still a frequent occurrence. A large number of crimes involve cars being left insecure and belongings being left in view. Christmas is a time of year when expensive items and presents may be left in unattended vehicles and theft of these items could cause considerable disappointment and expense.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Powley, of Dorset Police, said: “With this campaign we hope to give the residents of Dorset a proactive insight into these types of incidents and encourage the public to be more aware of crime prevention.
“Members of the public can assist in this fight against crime by taking a few simple steps to help keep themselves and their property safe.
“Most thieves are opportunists who will try car doors to find those that are left unlocked. Always lock your vehicle even if you are parked on your own drive – and double check that your car is locked before you leave it.
“At this time of year some shoppers may be tempted to return to their parked cars to offload their Christmas purchases before returning to the stores. Try not to leave any valuables in your car – whether hidden or not.
“Despite encouraging figures for the county overall, we will not become complacent and reducing vehicle crime is a priority for Dorset Police.”
Further crime prevention advice and our ‘no valuables in this car’ sign can be found on the Dorset Police website http://www.dorset.police.uk/default.aspx?page=6072
