Van owners urged to be vigilant following tool thefts in Spelthorne

Surrey Police is warning van owners to be on their guard following a number of thefts of tools from vehicles throughout Spelthorne.

The latest attempted theft on Wednesday (9 February) saw a van broken into at some point between 9.45pm and 9.53pm at the Travel Lodge in Sunbury-On-Thames. The suspects had tried to gain entry via the back door of the vehicle as the handle was broken. The tools were found on the floor of the van as they had clearly been disturbed.

The majority of vehicles being targeted are Ford Transit vans. A hole is being cut in the side of the vehicle which then allows the doors to be released.

Spelthorne Sergeant, Paul Grinter, said: “We are urging van owners to be extra vigilant when leaving their vehicles parked in roads or hotel car parks. Where possible, our advice is to not keep tools in vans and leave a note on the vehicle advising would-be thieves that no tools are stored within. But we appreciate that this is not always possible, especially during daylight hours when the van may still be in use, and would urge owners to put security measures in place. If you are parking in a hotel car park, then try and park under the CCTV cameras. It might not prevent a theft but will help us identify those responsible. Also, consider parking against walls, making it harder for thieves to gain access to your doors.

“Any vehicle that is used to store valuable tools should be fitted with an alarm and ideally also an internal security cage to prevent anyone forcing their way in. The tools themselves should also be property marked, making them less attractive to the thief and easier to return to the rightful owner if they are recovered.”

The Spelthorne Safer Neighbourhood Team will be working with hotels in the local area to assist with crime prevention advice and security measures.

If members of the public see anyone acting suspiciously around a van they should contact the police immediately. Similarly if anyone is offered high value tools for sale cheaply they should call Surrey Police on 101.

If you have any information which could help, please contact us quoting PR/45220015158 via:

• Webchat using the chat button on the right hand side of the page
• Our online reporting tool https://www.surrey.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/
• Calling us on 101

If you do not wish to leave your name, please call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.