Police warning following Land Rover thefts in the Cotswolds

Police in the Cotswolds are warning car owners to be vigilant after a spate of Land Rover thefts in the area.

At around 4.30am this morning (12 April), a Land Rover Defender 110 was stolen from a property in Poulton near Cirencester.

It is believed the unknown offenders forced a door to enter the property and took a set of car keys before making off in the vehicle.

In another incident which took place between 7pm and 8.15pm on Wednesday 10 April, a Land Rover Defender V8 was stolen from Park Street in Stow-on-the-Wold.

The vehicle was tracked and recovered later that evening in Blockley.

In a further incident, which is believed to have taken place between 7pm on Monday 8 April and 6.30am on Tuesday 9 April, a Land Rover Discovery HSE was stolen from the driveway of a property on Shalford Close in Cirencester.

Anyone with any information which might be able to help the investigations can contact Gloucestershire Constabulary by calling 101 and quoting incident 83 of 12 April or by completing the following online form: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/soh/seen-or-heard/

High value vehicles like Land Rovers, BMWs, Audis and Range Rovers, are common targets as they will sell for higher prices.

You can help protect your vehicle from theft by following these measures:

• Storing your key fob, and any spares, inside a car key signal blocker pouch such as a faraday pouch or box.
• Storing your car keys away from the front door and away from the house.
• Locking your vehicle and making sure the wing mirrors are folded in.
• Considering using more traditional crime prevention methods such as a steering wheel lock or clamp, use of CCTV and security lighting.
• Some keys can have the wireless signal turned off - look inside your owner’s manual or contact the manufacturer.
• Parking defensively by going near to a wall or by using another car to block it in, or park in the garage if you have one.
• You can have your car fitted with a tracker or if you're buying a new car ask the showroom about the cost of activating the inbuilt manufacturer's system.

You can find more ways to protect your vehicle on the Constabulary's website here: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/keeping-vehicles-safe/preventing-car-vehicle-theft/