Police warning to van drivers following rise in break-ins

Police are calling for van owners to be security conscious after more than 50 cases of vans being broken into or damaged in the last two months.

Vans similar in size to Vauxhall Vivaros or Ford Transits have been the main targets and most incidents have seen rear or side doors being pulled back to allow the thieves to gain access to the vehicles.

Vans are being targeted overnight – between 10pm and 4pm – and police are receiving reports of one or two incidents every other night.

The incidents first started in the Masborough and Kimberworth area but are now across the whole district.

Sgt Clive Collings from Rotherham’s Central Safer Neighbourhood Area said: “This current spate of thefts and damage doesn’t appear to have a particular geographical pattern. Offences have occurred overnight across the town.

“The crimes have tended to involve the offenders forcing entry to the vans by peeling back the rear or side doors, and appears to have centred around attempts to steal power tools.

“The vans being targeted are primarily commercial vehicles, meaning the owners might work for local businesses or run a business themselves. As a result, these kinds of crimes have a significant impact on livelihoods and, it goes without saying, are completely unacceptable.”

He added: “About four weeks ago, we began an operation to try and tackle the issue by increasing visibility and issuing advice to van owners. While this was successful and arrests have been made, the offences have continued.

“I would urge van owners to secure their vehicles and leave nothing of any value inside. It might be worth investing in stickers for your van that specify you leave nothing in them overnight, which might act as a deterrent.

“Crime levels are relatively low in Rotherham and we will not tolerate this kind of criminality in our town, so if anyone has any information about who might be committing these crimes, please give us a call.”

If you have information, contact the Rotherham Central SNA team on 01709 832112 quoting Operation Thicket or call 101 quoting incident number 1044 of  July 30 2015.

Alternatively, call anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.