POLICE are warning vehicle owners in East Swindon to be vigilant following 14 reports in three months of people trying car doors.

The latest happened around 9.30am on December 27 in Eastmere, Liden. Officers advise drivers to keep their vehicles locked, valuable-free, windows shut and keys secure.

Put the key card/fob in a Faraday case to block any transmissions, park the vehicle in a locked garage or in a well-lit area in clear view of your property and any CCTV cameras where possible.

Use an additional steering lock and mark the items of property/tools that are stored in the vehicle using an artificial DNA property marker such as Smartwater or SelectaDNA.

Check with your car dealership as they can offer advice and the manufacturer/dealer can often track the vehicle if it is stolen.

If the vehicle is a company car, check with your fleet managers who can offer crime prevention and tracking advice.

PCSO Charlotte Watson of the Swindon South Community Policing Team said: “We have seen this becoming more of an issue in East Swindon in recent months and we suspect significantly more are going unreported.

“These crimes are often opportunistic and we’d urge vehicle owners about being extra vigilant of locking their vehicle doors, not leaving valuables in the vehicles overnight and considering where they leave their keys.

“There are steps that you can take to help protect your vehicle, so please make sure you are aware of our crime prevention advice.

“I’d also encourage people to contact us if you suspect your vehicle has been tampered with overnight by calling 101 so we can build a better intelligence picture and target the areas that are being targeted by criminals.”

Call 999 immediately if you see a crime in progress or any suspicious activity around vehicles in your area.

Note the registration numbers of vehicles and descriptions of those involved.

Anyone with information relating to the incident in Eastmere should call 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.