A spate of thefts from cars and vans has prompted North Yorkshire Police to issue security advice to motorists.

They say that in recent months there have been ‘a series of thefts, or attempted thefts, involving unattended vehicles’ in the county.

Commercial vans are a particular target - and in several cases power tools worth many thousands of pounds have been stolen, they say.

They believe many of the thefts are committed by criminals coming to North Yorkshire from elsewhere – so-called ‘cross-border’ crime.

“Around 20 per cent of crimes in North Yorkshire are committed by people who do not live here,” a spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said.

In an attempt to foil the thieves, police say, motorists should:

  • always check car or van doors are locked and alarmed before leaving the vehicle
  • consider fitting an after-market approved immobiliser
  • leave your vehicle in a garage if you have one. Otherwise, consider installing security lighting in your driveway, or at least try to park in well-lit areas
  • never leave keys in the ignition - or near the front door of your home. “Thieves will know exactly where to look for them.”
  • Don’t leave tools in vehicles unattended or overnight. “You could even consider placing a sign in the window stating they have been removed.”

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire police said: “Having your vehicle broken into is an incredibly upsetting and frustrating experience at the best of times – there’s the mess to tidy up, the insurance to claim and the damage to repair.

“But it’s even worse when items are stolen from inside your car or van at the same time.

If those items are valuable – such as work tools – their loss can have a huge knock-on effect on your livelihood.”

Anyone who has had items stolen from their car or van – or has been offered tools for sale in suspicious circumstances – should report it on 101, via the police website, or by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111