Police Warning!

Vehicle theft warning in frosty conditions

The police are warning drivers throughout the Thames Valley area not to leave their vehicles unattended with the engine running on frosty mornings.

Opportunist thieves have been known to take advantage of such a situation.

It only needs a moment for a thief to jump behind the wheel and drive off in your car.

Even if the door is locked, a thief will not think twice about smashing a window to get in.

The simple message is not to leave a running car unattended for any length of time, whether it is left on your own driveway to de-ice on a cold winter morning or, for example, while you pop to post a letter or pay for fuel.

Give yourself extra time to defrost all your car's windows and don't be tempted to leave the car, even for a few moments.

A car unattended with its engine running is a golden opportunity for a thief.

As well as causing a huge amount of upset and stress, this type of theft can also result in your insurance company refusing to settle the claim because the vehicle was left running whilst unattended. You could potentially lose thousands of pounds.

A related video can be viewed on the Thames Valley Police YouTube account which provides Winter Driving Tips.