Warning on 'hook and cane' car thefts in Chorley (From Chorley Citizen)

Warning on 'hook and cane' car thefts in Chorley

3:00pm Friday 3rd July 2009

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Residents in Chorley are being advised to keep their car keys safe following incidents of hook and cane thefts.

Chorley Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership have issued the advice after a number of car owners have recently fallen victim to 'hook and cane' thefts which involves a rod with a hooked end being pushed through a letterbox and used to pick up car keys in open view.

Councillor Eric Bell, Chorley Council's Executive Member (Neighbourhoods), said: "It's important that people take some simple steps to ensure that they don't fall victim to this type of crime.

"It's very tempting to leave your keys by the door so it's easy to pick them up when you are leaving the house but by moving them to a safe place out of view you can stop this happening."

Inspector Jo Keay of Chorley Police advised: "The safest thing is to keep keys in a safe place hidden from view and out of reach.

"Burglaries are currently at a 35 year low in Lancashire and we aim to keep them that way by offering advice to people that will help keep their property safe."

The advice comes on the back of a month long campaign by Lancashire Police, under the name of Operation Julius, aimed at preventing crime, targeting criminals involved in burglary and detecting burglary offences.

Superintendent Bill McMahon added: "Although incidents of burglaries are low, these sorts of crimes have a very direct impact on people. That is why we are focusing our activities on advising people on how they can keep themselves from becoming victims of crime as well as focusing our resources on targeting those people who commit burglaries."

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