Police issue warning over car key burglaries in Telford
Residents in Telford are being urged to take crime prevention measures following a number of car key burglaries.
The warning comes following four burglaries in the area during the past month where burglars have broken into someone's home with the sole purpose of stealing the car keys.
The thieves have then taken the car from the driveway with the majority of the burglaries taking place overnight.
To help combat the thefts detectives are advising local residents of the steps they can take to deter burglars.
Detective Sergeant Deb Bentley is from Telford's Proactive CID team and says any crime prevention steps people can take helps to put off a burglar.
She said: "Essentially, making a home unattractive to burglars by having obvious crime prevention measures can help make a real difference on whether or not it is targeted.
"There are some very simple measures people can take, particularly now the clocks have gone forward and we start to enjoy lighter evenings. Making sure front and back doors are locked, even when they're in the house and particularly overnight, and not leaving car keys near open windows or on clear display can all help.
"It is always good practice to hide car keys out of view, hide them away in a drawer or cupboard, anywhere they aren't easily visible can help prevent the home from being targeted.
Police also say outside lighting, burglar alarms and CCTV all make a house difficult for a burglar and make it less likely to be targeted by thieves.
DS Bentley added: "If you have a garage try and use it to keep the car in and make sure that it also has adequate security."
