Four men from Birmingham arrested on suspicion of going equipped to steal

Four men have been arrested on suspicion of going equipped to steal after a vehicle was stopped by police in the early hours of this morning, Thursday 24 July.

At around 2.45am police were called by a member of the public regarding suspicious activity in Gotherington, near Bishops Cleeve. 

The caller had seen what appeared to be a man hiding behind a vehicle which was parked on a driveway.

On seeing the caller, the man ran away, along with a second man, and they were then picked up nearby by someone driving an Audi.

Officers were sent to the area to search for the vehicle and Gloucestershire Police's Force Control Room notified neighbouring forces. A car matching the description was soon stopped in Evesham by officers from both Gloucestershire and West Mercia Police.

Four men were inside the vehicle, along with devices which are associated with keyless vehicle thefts. These devices are often used by offenders to steal cars off driveways without forcing entry to the vehicles. Often the owners are unaware as they send a signal which interferes with the key fob inside the victim's home. 

Four men aged in their 20s and from Birmingham were arrested on suspicion of going equipped to steal and they remain in custody for questioning. 

Anyone who lives in the areas of Manor Lane and Gretton Road and has CCTV or dashcam footage which shows an Audi between the hours of 12am and 3am is asked to contact police.

Information can be provided to police online by completing the following form and quoting incident 32 of 24 July: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/

If you see suspicious activity or offenders are nearby at the time of calling, dial 999 and ask for police.

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

• When at home keep your car key (and the spare) well away from the car
• Put the keys in a screened or signal-blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag, and check if the bag or pouch is still working every few months
• Turn off wireless signals on your fob when it is not being used.

For more information, visit: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/keeping-vehicles-safe/preventing-car-vehicle-theft/