Police urge drivers to be vigilant following spike in thefts from motor vehicles in Luton

Police are reminding drivers to ensure personal belongings are removed from their vehicles when they are left unattended and overnight after a spike in thefts from motor vehicles in Luton.

Since Monday, October 26, Bedfordshire Police has seen an increase in thefts from motor vehicles across the county being reported, with a number of personal belongings being stolen such as sports equipment, laptops, wallets, phones, cash and cards.

The cards have then been used to make further purchases.

Do not leave yourself vulnerable to becoming a victim to these opportunists.

Officers are advising the public to:

- Ensure all doors, windows and sunroofs are closed and locked when leaving your vehicle unattended

- Always take the keys out of the ignition, even if you are only leaving your car for a moment

- Do not leave your keys lying around or visible on a windowsill at home or near a front door, where they could be hooked through the letterbox

- Never leave valuables in your vehicle and keep any other possessions out of sight

- If you use a vehicle for maintenance purposes, it is advisable not to leave tools or other working materials in a vehicle unoccupied or overnight, as works vehicles such as vans are commonly targeted by criminals

- Never leave items of clothing such as jackets on show, opportunists will break in, in the hope there is something valuable in the pockets

- Never leave vehicle documents in your car, as this would make it easy for a thief to sell your car or provide a cover story if stopped by the police.

Areas that have been targeted include:

- Luton

- Houghton Regis

- Dunstable

To report anything suspicious call 101 or visit the force's online reporting centre.