We know vehicle crime is a concern to our residents. Over the last 12 months there were 24 victims of vehicle theft, averaging two a month. These offences are even spread out across the ward, which ranges from the A435 in the west, as far north as the top of Earlswood Lakes, as far west as (but not including Hockley Heath), and as far south as Danzy Green. When looking at the reports on a month by month basis, the range is between 1 victim a month and a maximum of 4 a month. This happened in September 2024 and January 2025. The reports do not suggest a growing trend at this time. 

It is crucial then, to also know that in the same year there were 7 residential burglaries in the same area. Only two of these were with the intention of stealing a motor vehicle. Only one was successful. It is reassuring to know that for the majority, offenders are not entering residents’ homes. 

These thefts are being committed by organised crime groups (OCGs) whose full-time job is stealing your property. They travel large distances, and a large number of offences will be the result of only a select few individuals. 

The primary modus operandi is relay theft. This is where the offender uses a ‘relay’ device to intercept the signal of the victim’s car key and use it to trick the targeted car into believing the owner is stood near to the car trying to open it. This is how then enter the car and start the ignition before fleeing the scene. 

What you can do about it? 

We urge keyless car owners to store their keys in “faraday” pouches or boxes. They are easily available to buy for a minimal cost and they block your key’s signal from being intercepted. Put simply, relay theft cannot occur! 

You can also use wheel locks inside your car to add an extra layer of protection over your vehicle. If you own your car you could pay a specialist to install a ‘ghost’ or ‘kill’ switch. Furthermore, should your vehicle be stolen, a well concealed tracker could help police locate it and apprehend those responsible. 

What are we doing about it? 

This issue is not specific to your area and is a regional issue. Operation Blue Ray is a multi-force effort to collate and share information concerning theft of motor vehicles, with an aim to capture and prosecute repeat offenders. Our neighbouring force, West Mercia, have been running extra patrols recently due to the issue. Not two weeks ago a joint force operation was carried out to target vehicle crime between Warwickshire’s border with Themes Valley Police, which saw 7 marked and unmarked police cars patrolling the area with the sole focus on vehicle crime. 

Over summer, I participated in a cross-border operation with West Midlands Police, where we were able to get 40 officers conducting patrols around our border to concentrate on vehicle crime. 10 of these were patrolling the Alcester North region, including your area. I am currently trying to replicate this in the coming weeks. 

While the safer neighbourhood team do not typically work over night, other departments in Warwickshire Police do. For example, in Warwickshire we have our own team within CID who try to target the Organised Crime Groups who are responsible for stealing cars. This month our firearms and traffic officers, with specialised training, were alerted to a stolen vehicle passing through Alcester. This was because of ANPR cameras. Those officers pursued the stolen car all the way to Coventry where the car was recovered, and the offender was arrested.