RESIDENTS are being urged to lock their cars and not leave any valuables in them after a spate of thefts from vehicles the same night a car was stolen.
The warning comes after a Black Volvo C70 car was stolen from Weston Road overnight on Tuesday, April 17.
That night there were also five thefts from vehicles in Head Down, Sussex Gardens, and Heath Road, and an IPad, debit card, a handbag, money and a jacket were taken.
Petersfield Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Tobey Mason said: “If valuable possessions such handbags, laptops, sat navs, iPods, mobile phones, and cameras, are left on show inside a vehicle, it is much more likely to be targeted by thieves.
“Even items of little value, such as shopping bags and clothing, may tempt a potential thief to break into the vehicle to see whether they contain anything worth stealing.
“Offences take place during the day or night, whether a vehicle is parked in a driveway, on the street or in a public car park.
“Typically, thieves will smash windows to gain entry. Sometimes they will break door locks or, on older vehicles, wrench the door away from the body of the vehicle.
“Please be vigilant at all times, and call police to report any suspicious activity, not just around your own property but anything suspicious in your residential area and community.
“It isn’t too late to report any suspicious activity to police.”
Residents are advised to contact 999 in an emergency, or 101 for a non-emergency.