Author: Fraser Pithie

Please be aware that between 23.45hrs on Thursday 4 March and 0730hrs on Friday 5 March 2021 offenders have stolen a white BMW Series 1 motor vehicle from a private drive at a property in Windy Arbour, Kenilworth. The motor vehicle was stolen without the keys suggesting this was a “keyless entry” car theft.

Owners of cars fitted with keyless entry are reminded and advised to place their vehicle keys in a “Faraday Cage” or “Faraday Pouch” to prevent such thieves from making contact with the signal that is emitted from the vehicle’s keys and which can enable the thieves to gain entry and steal the vehicle. (see further information at the base of this alert)

This is incident 75 of 5 March 2021

Please be aware that between 1400hrs and 1630hrs on Saturday 6 March 2021 offenders have smashed the nearside window of a purple Peugeot 107 motor vehicle that was parked at Rouncil Lane, Kenilworth. It is unclear at this stage what if anything has been taken from the vehicle.

This is incident 241 of 6 March 2021

If you think you may have seen or heard anything suspicious or have any information related to either of these incidents then please contact Warwickshire Police on 101 or alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

Please be aware that between 2030hrs and 2250hrs on Monday 1 March 2021 offenders have stolen a Grey Range Rover motor vehicle from the private drive of a property at Rounds Hill, Kenilworth. The car was stolen without keys suggesting it maybe a “keyless car theft”.

This is incident 402 of 1 March 2021

Please be aware that between 0100hrs and 0700hrs on Tuesday 2 March 2021 offenders have stolen a grey Ford Kuga from the private drive of a property at Rounds Hill, Kenilworth. The car was stolen without keys suggesting it maybe a “keyless car theft”.

This is incident 76 of 2 March 2021

Owners of motor vehicles that have keyless entry and ignition systems are advised to place their keys in a signal blocking  ‘Faraday cage’ (a metal container that prevents the signal and key being contacted by a device that thieves can use to steal keyless entry vehicles). An example is shown below (cost approx £20)  

Faraday pouches are also available (cost approx £8)

Please be aware that between 1000hrs and 1100hrs on Tuesday 2 March 2021 offenders have forced the door on a red Nissan Micra motor vehicle parked at Beehive Hill, Kenilworth. Once they gained entry to the vehicle they have stolen  a black leather handbag containing a purse and bank cards which were subsequently used by the offenders.

This is incident 129 of 2 March 2021

If you think you may have seen or heard anything suspicious of if you have any information that may relate to any of these incidents please contact Warwickshire Police on 101 or alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

The February Update for Kenilworth’s Safer Neighbourhood Team has now been published and is available here at this link.

Please be aware that between 1430hrs and 1700hrs on Monday 15 February 2021 offenders have smashed the lock of the drivers door on a Toyota Hylux motor vehicle parked at Rouncil Lane, Kenilworth and stolen a quantity of De Walt power tools and personal items.

This is incident 340 of 15 February 2021

Please be aware that at approximately 1700hrs on Monday 15 February 2021 in the Westhill Road/Bericote Road area between Kenilworth and Cubbington a small van, complete with a set of ladders on its roof rack, was set on fire at a field in this area.

This is incident 293 of 15 February 2021

If you think you may have seen or heard anything suspicious or have information about either of these incidents please contact Warwickshire Police on 101 or alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

KENILWORTH’S SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM are warning Kenilworth residents to be alert and to look after elderly or vulnerable relatives, friends or neighbours. The advice from Warwickshire Police comes following a “Courier Scam” was foiled at the last minute due to the quick thinking and action of a relative of a householder.

The attempt, which happened in the last couple of days at Kenilworth, Warwickshire, nearly led to the householder losing tens of thousands of pounds from their savings bank account.

The scam starts with a telephone caller saying they are from Amazon. The caller says that Amazon has mistakenly transferred a significant sum of money into the householders bank account and that it needs to be paid back promptly. The caller then decides which way is best to try and get the householder to pay the money over.

In this case the caller asked the householder to make out a cheque for the bogus amount and they would arrange for a courier to pick it up. The householder made out the cheque and as the courier arrived so did a relative of the householder. The relative immediately called the police, stopped the cheque being handed over and the courier made off.

A Kenilworth Watch spokesperson said “People need to understand that in some cases those calling unsuspecting householders may already have some information about the person they are calling. This makes things sound all the more plausible to the person receiving the call and makes it easier for the criminal carrying out the scam.”

The key things we’d stress are:

No organisation, banks, police, Royal Mail, building societies, the NHS or HMRC send couriers to anyone’s home and door.

Any call received where money is mentioned by someone suggesting they are from an organisation and the householder is not expecting such a call is almost certainly bogus and a scam.

DO NOT SAY OR DIVULGE any of your personal details to anyone on the telephone or on your doorstep and NEVER share your PIN number.

Anyone that requests a householder to go to their bank and draw out the money is bogus and they are a criminal. DON’T attend your bank to draw out money whatever anyone tells you.

Please look out for those that may be elderly or vulnerable and make sure they know not to engage with these type of calls. Please report any such calls and requests to Warwickshire Police on 101.