davieG Posted 14 July 2012 Posted 14 July 2012 Merc Police are battling a huge rise in thefts from city car parks. The problem spiked earlier this month, when police were receiving reports of about 45 such thefts each week – far outstripping the usual number of about seven a week. Items stolen have included an £800 guitar, an iPad and several satellite navigation systems. Lee Circle, East Street, Abbey Street and St Nicholas Circle car parks in the city centre have been particularly badly hit. Officers believe thieves are deliberately targeting long-stay car parks used by commuters, rather than those where shoppers come and go throughout the day. Police said yesterday that an operation launched to tackle the crimewave had seen the number of incidents fall. They also said that most of the thefts, if not all, could have been prevented if the victims had not left valuables on show in their vehicles. Sergeant Tom Butler said: "These thefts have been the issue of the day for us and we've been all over it for the past fortnight. "We've had lots of uniform officers patrolling the car parks, questioning suspects and advising motorists that they should not leave valuable items on display when they park. We've had plainclothes officers out too, because criminals do tend to disappear when they see a police officer's yellow jacket. "We've had some success driving down the number of thefts, and some arrests, but we still need motorists to help us by removing all valuables when they park their cars." He said that the criminals tended to strike in the daytime and nighttime figures had not been affected. Police believe up to a dozen thieves are behind the series of thefts. A gang of travelling criminals from the West Midlands – who try to throw police off their scent by dressing smartly in shirts and ties – has also been spotted in the city centre in the past few weeks. Two people have been arrested in or near car parks in the past fortnight for the offence of "going equipped to steal". A number of people have also been arrested for carrying or selling drugs as a result of the operation. Officers have been distributing crime prevention leaflets to motorists as the enter the affected car parks. Motorist Mark James, 47, who uses city centre car parks regularly when he commutes from Shepshed, said: "My car was broken into a few years ago and I lost a laptop which I'd stupidly left on the back seat. I was in a hurry and I forgot it was there. "I learned the hard way and I check my car now every time I leave it." Sarah Preston, 34, who also parks regularly in the city centre, said: "It's a good idea for the police to speak to motorists directly as it's the best way to teach people that thieves will take every opportunity to get their hands on our stuff."
Guest Posted 14 July 2012 Posted 14 July 2012 You pay to park you car in these sites - is there no financial liability from the car park owners? All the car parks should have comprehensive camera surveillance. It's not even that expensive these days.
Rincewind Posted 14 July 2012 Posted 14 July 2012 still should not leave valuables in full view of anyone passing by. Cameras cannot view every car every second. Cameras are OK for after the event. It is up to the car owner to take care of the before the event.
Guest Posted 14 July 2012 Posted 14 July 2012 Shouldn't need to worry about leaving things visible in your car should you. That's sad. Cameras can now record everywhere all the time. they do when it suits the authorities or camera owners.
Rincewind Posted 14 July 2012 Posted 14 July 2012 No you shouldn't but you would not walk up a busy high street with your wallet sticking out your back pocket would you?
Guest Posted 15 July 2012 Posted 15 July 2012 I never leave things visible in my car anyway. Do you have a cloaking device?
Fox92 Posted 15 July 2012 Posted 15 July 2012 Do you have a cloaking device? No, but I wish I did for your posts.
Guest Posted 15 July 2012 Posted 15 July 2012 No, but I wish I did for your posts. There's an ignore person that will cloak my posts.
Fox92 Posted 15 July 2012 Posted 15 July 2012 There's an ignore person that will cloak my posts. I'm starting to get confuzed now
Guest Posted 15 July 2012 Posted 15 July 2012 I'm starting to get confuzed now There's three spades in the corner , take your pick.
Guest Posted 15 July 2012 Posted 15 July 2012 I'm starting to get confuzed now If you don't want to read my posts you go to the dropdown menu next to yor name at the top of the screen, click on manage ignore prefs and then put me on that list. Then my posts will be masked and never need annoy you again - unless quoted by someone else.
Fox92 Posted 15 July 2012 Posted 15 July 2012 If you don't want to read my posts you go to the dropdown menu next to yor name at the top of the screen, click on manage ignore prefs and then put me on that list. Then my posts will be masked and never need annoy you again - unless quoted by someone else. I was only joking, because you were sarcastic to my original post.
Guest Posted 15 July 2012 Posted 15 July 2012 I was only joking, because you were sarcastic to my original post. but my reply was useful wasn't it?
Fox92 Posted 15 July 2012 Posted 15 July 2012 but my reply was useful wasn't it? I wish they were real!
Guest Posted 16 July 2012 Posted 16 July 2012 I wish they were real! We're pretty close to cloaking shields now.
Guest Posted 16 July 2012 Posted 16 July 2012 The police are now telling people to lock their doors, and to keep their sheds locked too. In other news, common sense was spotted in a Leicestershire town today...
Tomassi Posted 16 July 2012 Posted 16 July 2012 Currently living in a place where people not only leave their cars unlocked, but leave their car keys in the ignition too!
Rincewind Posted 16 July 2012 Posted 16 July 2012 I bet it's annoying when the local joyriders still refuse to nick it and wreck it so you have space for your new one.
Guest MattP Posted 16 July 2012 Posted 16 July 2012 To be honest I don't even lock my front door. If I'm just going out for 20 mins or down the shops I don't.
Rincewind Posted 16 July 2012 Posted 16 July 2012 I know my neighbour rarely locks his door. Mind he's going out and back every ten minutes even gone midnight. Sometimes he leaves the door of the house on the latch. It doesn't take much to break in anyway. The other week I left my keys inside. Was let in the communial part but had to get a locksmith for my flat. He chisle down where the lock is opened the door and while I went in the flat to get my keys and returned to the door he had put a nail in to the broken frame and it was good as new.
Smudge Posted 17 July 2012 Posted 17 July 2012 There's three spades in the corner , take your pick. That's an old Irish joke are you mocking him?
SOCCERROO FOX Posted 17 July 2012 Posted 17 July 2012 Currently living in a place where people not only leave their cars unlocked, but leave their car keys in the ignition too! Not the keys in the ignition, but most people in our court leave there cars unlocked, been doing it for years but 2 of my neigbours had items stolen on the same night last week. So i know lock my car door.....well at least during school holidays.
z-layrex Posted 17 July 2012 Posted 17 July 2012 I think with the extortionate parking prices in this country, car park owners should at least be made to compensate damage or theft.
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