Police send message to Sheffield drivers over 'sharp rise' in car crime this Christmas

Police today said thieves had broken into a number of vehicles in the Sharrow, Abbeydale, Nether Edge and Gleadless Valley areas of the city in recent days.

PCSO Kenneth Blake, from the Sheffield South West neighbourhood policing team, said: “The last week has unfortunately seen a sharp rise in vehicle crime in these areas.

“Your local neighbourhood team are aware of this current trend and will be conducting targeted patrols in an effort to reduce these crimes. Residents are also reminded of the need not to leave anything of value in their vehicles when unattended and to secure it at all times.”

Inspector Colette Fitzgibbons said there was often a rise in such crime around this time of the year.She urged people to keep any valuables out of sight, even if it is just loose change which you might not think anyone would bother stealing.

Inspector Fitzgibbons added that the majority of such crimes occurred during the hours of darkness, from around 5pm.

There were 104 incidents of vehicle crime recorded in Sheffield South West in October this year, the latest period for which figures are available.

That’s more than the 93 recorded in October 2018 but significantly less than the 132 in October 2017.

The biggest hotspots for vehicle crime during October 2019 were Meersbrook, with 18 such offences recorded, and Sharrow, with 16.