Thames Valley Police urging car owners to get tracking devices amid rise in thefts
It helps the police ‘increase the chances’ of finding and recovering stolen vehicles
Last updated 8th Oct 2024
An Inspector from Thames Valley Police is urging car owners to get a tracking device on their car as they say they’ve seen vehicle thefts on the rise.
It comes as a team of officers have been commended by Chief Constable Jason Hogg for their efforts into an investigation, as they recovered around £500,000 worth of stolen vehicles.
The team including, Inspector Tim Hawley, Detective Constable Rebecca Preedy, Sergeant Simon Travis, and disrupted an organised crime group posing as a car workshop in Weston on the Green, Bicester.
Vehicle examiners, Ben Matthews and Tony Hurdle have also been commended for their work on the case.
The ringleader of the organised crime group received a 6-year prison sentence in August 2023.
'I would urge people to get a tracking device'
Inspector Hawley led the initial investigation, he said: “There was a bit of luck involved and sometimes you have to have that in policing, as the vehicle had a tracking device and we were informed through the insurance company.
“That tends to be a more common way as vehicles get more sophisticated and manufacturers are putting more technology and safeguarding into their vehicles.
“Tracking device is no guarantee that we would ever find the vehicle, but it does increase those chances.
“So, I would urge people to get a tracking device, speak to their insurance company or the manufacturer about it.”
'Vehicle theft is on the rise'
As a result of the investigation into half a million pounds worth of stolen car parts, they’ve now been able to recover more stolen vehicles and believe vehicle theft is rising.
Detective Constable Rebecca Preedy said: “Vehicle theft is one the rise as vehicles develop in their technology.
“It does get easier for organised crime groups to be able to get into the mechanisms and steal the car. They are high value and high performance cars and it’s difficult to keep track of.
“However, due to the investigation, we were able to follow other lines of enquiry which led us back to other groups and other organisations.”
It’s still fairly uncommon to see these organised crime groups of stolen vehicles. Inspector Hawton said: “I’ve been in the police for 15 years and this is the first time I’ve came across this, we have since and then, but that’s only because of the work we initially did.”