A review of crime alerts for 2021 by KENILWORTH WATCH shows some positive effects coming through that’s reduced burglary across Kenilworth by householders taking measures to protect their homes and property.
BURGLARY
While alerts for some 23 burglaries were published in 2021, the number of attempted burglaries nearly matched that figure at 19. We know from the details of some of the Attempted Burglary events that a mixture of monitored alarms, vigilance and quick action by householders reporting suspicious activity to the police and crucially the fitting of anti-snap locks to doors foiled and stopped criminals gaining entry to people’s homes and property.
However, the biggest area of concern is crime related to motor vehicles.
Some 23 motor vehicles were stolen in 2021, with just under half of that number (11) stolen without keys indicating that the thefts were of the ‘Keyless Entry” type. This is a method where criminals use technology to intercept the signal from vehicle keys inside a home and use the signal to fool the vehicle into unlocking itself and enabling criminals to start up and steal the vehicle. 4 of the vehicles that were stolen were because of a “Car Key Burglary” where offenders break into the home of the vehicle owner to locate and steal the vehicle’s keys.
MOTOR VEHICLE CRIME
This means that combined some 15 (65%) of motor vehicles stolen were from or adjacent to properties. The message that Kenilworth Watch and Kenilworth’s Safer Neighbourhood Team keep promoting is to take steps to deter vehicle thieves by fitting and using steering locks and in the case of keyless entry vehicles storing vehicle keys in a metal container or metal lined pouch that stops the key’s signal being intercepted.
The message that both Neighbourhood Watch and Kenilworth Safer Neighbourhood Team have promoted about the need NOT to leave any items in or on show in a parked and unattended motor vehicle are not getting through to everyone. Despite the repeated promotion of this crime prevention advice some motor vehicle owners continue to provide the critical element criminals need, opportunity.
In 2021 some 23 motor vehicles were damaged, most of them with at least one window smashed, so thieves could access the inside of the vehicle to steal items that ranged from handbags and wallets, cash to iPad’s, laptop computers and sat navigation systems.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
BURGLARY DETERRENT ADVICE
There’s a range of things you can do to deter crime and thus becoming a victim of crime as a householder. Fit a monitored alarm, fit CCTV, just a CCTV doorbell is a deterrent and fit anti snap locks, which have been shown time and time again to make a significant difference in terms of stopping criminals breaking in.
This short film demonstrates how fitting anti snap locks can provide much greater protection to homes and property.
More details about anti snap locks can be obtained from Eydens in Coventry.
( https://www.eydens.co.uk/locks-locksmith-coventry )
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT DETERRENT ADVICE
people with motor vehicles, particularly expensive and sought after models, to take practical measures to deter vehicle theft.
Two things are advised:
An effective steering lock which makes it a great deal more difficult to steal the vehicle.
A metal box/tin or metal lined pouch, also known as a Faraday Cage or pouch, protects keyless ignition keys when they are placed inside as the signal from the key cannot be intercepted by unlawful devices near the property.
These measures make a real difference as they go a long way to thwart attempts to steal keyless entry motor vehicles.
KENILWORTH WATCH STATS FOR 2021
We posted 105 notices out to all those that subscribed to our free service in 2021. If one divides those notices across the year, expressed in days, that means for 72% of the days in the year there were no crime alerts for key elements of burglary, vehicle crime or criminal damage. A spate of burglaries in June was quickly followed in days by an arrest for the offences. The more bizarre thefts this year included a Bee Hive and also a lawnmower that was in use and was stolen while the householder had gone to their green bin to empty the lawn cuttings box.
Householders that subscribe to our crime alert service increased from around 1,000 to 1,500 households this year. A large part of this increase was due to publicity via BBC Television’s Frontline Fightback programme which featured Kenilworth and how our system works and how the community of Kenilworth, Neighbourhood Watch and Kenilworth’s Safer Neighbourhood Team work closely together to help one another protect themselves.
Kenilworth Watch 