Bedfordshire Police have said they are “piling on the pressure” on car thieves following an increase in the number of thefts involving Vauxhalls in the county.
The force said previous crackdowns, known as Operation King, saw offences come to a halt, but the problem has restarted with a rise in the number of bumpers, seats and bonnets being stolen.
Bedfordshire Police said that Vauxhalls are being targeted due to the popularity in the area, as Vauxhall’s headquarters is in Luton, as is the factory that builds the Vivaro van, and because several models are not routinely fitted with audible alarms.
“We are working hard to build up an intelligence picture surrounding this type of offending, and want the culprits to know we take the theft of vehicles and parts extremely seriously,” said Detective Chief Inspector Ian Middleton. “We want to increase awareness among the public of these crimes and encourage them to report any illegal or suspicious activity, in order to help us catch those responsible and cut off the practice at its roots.”
“The reason why these cars are selected is because there are lots of Vauxhalls in the Luton area,” a Vauxhall spokesman told BusinessCar. “This could happen to any other make of car.”
“There are no defects in our model line-up. It is down to vandalism,” the spokesman added.
Bedfordshire Police is advising residents to make sure all car doors and windows are locked and any alarms are enabled.
Anyone with information is urged to call the police on 101, it added
