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Warning re car park thefts - Dec 09 |
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Written by John Townsend-Rose
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Wednesday, 09 December 2009 10:03 |
Please disseminate this alert to all residents as a matter of urgency.
Police have identified an emerging series of vehicle crimes where lone females are targeted at shopping centre car parks by thieves using a distraction technique. One occurred at the Morrisons car park last week and the other occurred yesterday at the Chineham shopping centre. The method used is as follows:
A European or Middle Eastern male in dark saloon vehicle approaches a female shopper as she is loading/getting into her vehicle after finishing shopping. He parks his vehicle behind hers and then pretends that he is lost and beckons her over to his car and asks them to look at a map and give directions. Whilst he distracts the female, the male's accomplice enters the female's vehicle via the front passenger door and steals cash and/or bank cards from their handbag/purse. Please note that there is a possibility that the females may also have been followed by the accomplice in the shops they have just visited in order to obtain their PIN number when they make purchases at the tills. Following the theft of the bank cards attempts will be made to use cards immediately at ATMs or shops in the vicinity of where the crime occurred in order to withdraw cash.
Females (and males) are advised to be wary when shopping alone. Always protect your PIN by covering the keypad when making purchases. If approached politely decline to assist, get into your car, lock windows and doors, and then drive away. If the male or persons in the vehicle do not leave and continue to obstruct your vehicle or persist in trying to speak with you, dial 999 and report it immediately. If they do leave, then please report it to 101 as soon as practicable so that we are aware of and can investigate all incidents as it will increase our chances of catching them.
Please disseminate this message to all of your residents, and to friends/associates/relations. There is a possibility that some people have been victims but don't yet reaslise it, and of course, bearing in mind the festive period and the increase in the numbers and frequency of shopping trips and the use of park and rise car parks, there is potential for further victims.
Enquiries are being conducted to identify those responsible and plans are afoot to actively target them. |
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 05 January 2010 11:27 |