Two cars stolen in Northallerton car-key burglary

Police in North Yorkshire have issued security advice following a spate of car-key burglaries.

The latest one happened in Northallerton this week when a house on St James’ Drive was broken into. The suspects took car keys from the kitchen worktops and drove off in two vehicles parked on the drive.

One of the stolen cars, a blue Audi, has since been recovered in the Stockton area.

The other, a Ford Ranger, remains outstanding.

The break-in happened overnight between Thursday, July 4 and this morning, Friday July 5.

Any witnesses or anyone with any dashcam or doorbell footage in the St James Drive area of Northallerton that may have captured the suspects or the vehicles leaving Northallerton is asked to email quita.readman@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101 and pass information for incident 12240118909.

To remain anonymous, pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or online via their website.

Police have urged householders to follow these steps to help put barriers in the way of thieves:

• Always lock your car and make sure doors, windows, the boot, and sunroof are secure whenever you leave your vehicle

• Double check that it’s locked

• Don’t leave valuables in it

• Make sure the windows and doors to your house are locked

• Don’t leave your car keys on view or placed near windows, doors, cat-flaps or anyone where thieves can see them or quickly find them

• If you have a garage or outbuilding, use it and lock your car away when not in use – a good excuse for a clear-out

• If you don’t have a garage, consider fitting sturdy and lockable gates or a security post to your driveway

• Fit a high-quality alarm, immobiliser or tracking device to your car if finances allow and make sure you know how to operate it. Alternatively, cheaper tracking devices such as an Apple AirTag can be hidden somewhere in your car

• Consider using a device such as a visible steering or wheel lock

• If you own more than one vehicle, park the lesser valued vehicle behind the more expensive one on the driveway, making it more difficult to remove

• And if you have a keyless entry, make sure you keep it in a signal blocking pouch or box

• Lastly, you can play your part by being extra vigilant, look out for your neighbours and report anything suspicious in your area either via our website or by calling 101.

• You can also provide information anonymously to Crimestoppers on their website or by calling 0800 555 111. If you see a crime in action, always call 999.