ISLANDERS are being urged to kick the Jersey habit of leaving their cars unlocked in an effort to reduce the number of thefts from vehicles.
The States police are launching a social-media campaign following a slight rise in items being taken from cars recorded last year.
The increase was fuelled by a spate of thefts from vehicles – some of which were left unlocked – in the west of the Island in February and March 2021. A 34-year-old man was later jailed for 12 months for larceny and an unrelated offence.
A total of 86 reports of theft from vehicles were made last year, but the force was unable to say how many involved unlocked vehicles.
PC Alex Guelpa, community officer for St Helier, said: ‘Jersey is generally a safe place to live and we have probably all at some point left the car unlocked while we parked it somewhere. Although we are lucky that statistics for these sort of crimes in Jersey are relatively low compared to towns and cities in the UK, it’s always best not to be complacent and to remove any temptation for opportunist criminals. We’ll be putting up some colourful posters in some of the public car parks as a friendly reminder to lock your car, take your keys with you and to hide any valuables you may have left in your car.’
