Blenheim Police urge community to keep vehicles safe

Police are urging the public to take extra precautions to keep their vehicles safe following a number of vehicle thefts in the Blenheim and Picton area recently.

From mid-March to early April, 47 vehicles have been broken into or interfered with. The incidents have primarily occurred outside residential addresses.

Police say while any vehicle could be a target for an opportunistic thief, commonly stolen vehicles include older Nissan, Mazda, Toyota and Honda hatchback and sedans.

The vehicles are then often being used for joyriding and to commit further offences and harm in the community.

Police are committed to identifying and apprehending those responsible.

However, Police cannot be everywhere at once and we cannot deter opportunistic thieves on our own.

Sergeant Andrew Young urges vehicle owners to take preventative measures to make their vehicles less attractive for theft such as locking their vehicle and taking keys and keeping valuables out of sight.

Other measures include installing an alarm/ immobiliser if vehicles don’t have one.

“If possible, park your vehicle in a garage or driveway, but if you have to park on the road, try to park in a well-lit area,” says Sergeant Young. Police continue to encourage the public to report any suspicious or unusual behaviour around vehicles immediately to Police on 111, or on 105 after the fact.

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