Latest news with #cartheft
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Birmingham appeal to find people from footage of stolen car
Police have issued an appeal to identify two individuals after a car was stolen from an address in Birmingham. Dashcam footage from inside the stolen Toyota Rav4 shows two people driving from the scene on Ashbourne Road at 02:14 BST on 17 May.A male driver is wearing a hooded jacket, with a second suspect's face covered sat in the passenger Midlands Police said the car was abandoned a short time after it was stolen and is asking anyone with information to come forward. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
Drivers are only just realising little-known 99p household item can stop car thieves from accessing their vehicle
MOTORISTS are being urged to use a little-known household item costing less than ONE POUND to stop car thieves stealing their vehicle. It comes as the Office of National Statistics reports there were 133,708 recorded motor vehicle theft offences in England and Wales between April 2023 and March 2024. 1 This is a 12% increase compared to the same period in 2019-20. While the numbers are lower compared to the early 2000s, the recent increase tracks with the overall increase of crime figures in the UK. But to prevent thieves stealing a car, all drivers need is an inexpensive roll of tinfoil. This can be purchased for as little as 99p at a local supermarket. Driver Lucy Lewis started the tin foil trend after she took to TikTok to share her straightforward hack for preventing thieves from gaining access to her car. "I can't be the only one that goes to sleep with the [car] key wrapped in tinfoil," Lucy said at the start of the video, showing how her key was indeed wrapped in foil. She went on to explain: "I've got a stop start button, whatever, and I've seen loads of videos on Facebook of people's cars getting stolen because they've got that kind of car with the button. "If I wake up and my car is stolen, and I didn't wrap my key in tinfoil, there's gonna be trouble." Lucy then urged other people to say if they do a similar thing. She added: "Please tell me I'm not the only one, because I feel like a psycho and I have to wrap my key – it's like I have to put it to bed and wrap it in tinfoil and it just feels a bit pathetic." Watch as thieves use high-tech trick to swipe Mercedes in under 20 secs - as devices used in 40% of thefts to be BANNED Should you wrap your car key in tin foil? Some security experts have claimed wrapping or covering your car key with metal, such as tin foil, can help prevent cars with start and stop buttons from being key hacked and stolen. Key hacking is when thieves attack built-in systems that can unlock a car when the key is nearby, without having to press a button on the fob or put a key in the lock. To help prevent car and key hacking, RAC recommends getting a car key signal blocker to keep your car key in. They are metal-lined key wallets or special bags designed to keep your keys safe. However, just using tin foil or a metal bin with a lid will also work to prevent the electronic signals from passing through to your car. According to RAC, while tin foil can help prevent the electronic signals from your car key from pass through the metal, it's not the ideal solution seeing as it's usually difficult to recycle. Instead, they recommend using a reusable metal tin or a car signal blocker. How to protect your car from thieves Wheel clamps are another great option that can prevent your car from being driven away. Again, they are highly visible as they are often sold in bright colours, and may deter opportunistic thieves looking for a quick and easy target. Traditional security measures are also considered when calculating insurance premiums. Rich Morley at Lancaster Insurance explains that, no matter what car you drive, classic or modern, traditional-style security measures can provide extra peace of mind and security for your vehicle, helping to deter thieves in the process. He added: 'When considering a risk profile, we will establish with customers any security measures they have in place to prevent potential theft."
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Bruce Lehrmann enters plea in car theft case
Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty to stealing a car. Mr Lehrmann, 30, and his high-profile Sydney criminal lawyer, Zali Burrows, appeared via phone in Hobart Magistrates Court on Thursday morning. The first attempt to get Mr Lehrmann on the phone was unsuccessful with his lawyer saying he likely didn't answer because it was an unknown number. Magistrate Reg Marron told Ms Burrows: 'We've got a room full of people here ready to go, when we ring back please make sure he's ready to go.' Mr Lehrmann answered on the second attempt. Once everyone was on the call Ms Burrows proceeded to take issue with the material Tasmanian Police had provided her to date. She said the name of the complainant – Gail Oates – had been blacked out of the documents she had been provided. 'The present concern is the police statement redacts the name of Ms Oates,' she said. Ms Burrows said earlier media reports had included Ms Oates saying Mr Lehrmann allegedly stole her car and that these were: 'Sub-judice' and 'contempt'. She said she would be filing an application for a stay of proceedings. A stay of prosecution occurs when the case against a person has been prejudiced to the extent that it can not fairly proceed. State prosecutor Bune Kokeo said any application for a stay would be strongly opposed. He then submitted that Magistate Marron should request a plea. 'The issue right now is that the police have redacted the statement,' Ms Burrows said. 'I don't understand why it's such a national secret.' In response the prosecution tendered a list outlining all documents that had been provided to the defence to date. Magistrate Marron then told Ms Burrows things were different in Tasmania. 'Down here prosecution do things differently,' he said. He went on to say that in Tasmania people who are charged with a criminal offence are initially provided with less evidence than in other Australian jurisdictions. And it is only after a plea of not guilty is entered that the full prosecution is disclosed. Magistrate Marron ended by saying he does not hold it against defendants if they request to see the full file by pleading not guilty. Ms Burrows then entered a not guilty plea on behalf of her client. In a final parting shot the prosecutor applied for Mr Lehrmann to be forced to attend in person when the matter came back before court. The reasons why Mr Lehrmann appeared by phone were unclear but Magistrate Marron denied the application saying he could not see a good reason why Mr Lehrmann: 'Should be put through that.' The matter will next appear on September 19. Meanwhile Mr Lehrmann's continues to pursue an appeal against a defamation judgment against him, in Sydney. In 2023, Mr Lehrmann sued Network Ten and television presenter Lisa Wilkinson for defamation over a story that aired on the recently-cancelled show The Project. Justice Michael Lee found that, on the balance of probabilities, Mr Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in 2019. A criminal prosecution against Mr Lehrmann was abandoned in October 2022 over juror misconduct. After finding it was true that Mr Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins, Justice Lee later ordered him to pay $2 million worth of legal costs to Network Ten. Mr Lehrmann had a procedural win in his appeal in October last year, when Justice Wendy Abrahams – who is hearing his appeal - ordered he would not have to pay $200,000 of that money before his appeal proceeded. And because Mr Lehrmann is on Centrelink benefits, Justice Abrahams found any attempt to retrieve the money he owed Network Ten would simply bankrupt him. Justice Abrahams also allowed the appeal to go ahead without forcing Mr Lehrmann to put up money to secure the costs of Wilkinson and Network Ten.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Epping, Melbourne: Woman's plea after car stolen by six teens before crash
A woman whose car was allegedly stolen by six teens who were seriously hurt in a crash in Melbourne's north has issued a devastating plea. Six teenage boys, aged between 16 and 19, allegedly stole a blue Haval from a home in Doreen on early Tuesday morning and were speeding through the vicinity of Church St in Whittlesea about 1am on Wednesday. A woman's Haval was allegedly stolen by a group of teens on Tuesday morning. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling Officers lost sight of the vehicle, but it was spotted again about 1.20am on Plenty Rd in South Morang with the assistance of the air wing. Stop sticks were deployed to top the teens in their tracks, while the air wing continued to monitor the teens as they sped through Epping. Emergency services were called to O'Herns Rd at the entrance of the Hume Freeway after the blue car rolled into an embankment and crashed. Police said they were not pursuing the vehicle when it crashed. Ronnie Michell (right) said she felt 'numb' when she saw her car on the news. Picture: 9News Hours later, the owner of the allegedly stolen vehicle, Ronnie Michell, saw the remains of her mangled car appear on the news. She said the sight of her crumpled vehicle made her heart drop. 'When I got shown the photo of the car, I just felt numb and sick,' she told 9News. The six teenagers, including three 17-year-old Whittlesea boys, two 16-year-old Hume boys and a 19-year-old Seymour woman, were seriously injured in the crash. Two of the occupants were ejected from the vehicle as it rolled into the embankment. They were all transported to hospital for treatment, where they remain under police guard. 'Six kids in hospital, six families worried about their children,' Ms Michell said. The family have urged the teens to think of others before going on joy rides. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling Her daughter Courtney Lister was also horrified by the teens' joy ride. 'I couldn't believe it, that it had gone that far, so to speak, that their so-called 'bit of fun', I assume is what it was, had to end so badly,' she said. Ms Lister issued a desperate plea to other teenagers looking for a thrill as it 'could have ended someone's life'. 'Hopefully, it is a wake-up call,' she said. 'But it's as though they don't care about any sort of consequence that could come from it.' Police are continuing to investigate the incident. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has CCTV or dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Gone in 20 seconds: Moment thieves steal a car in less than half a minute for £5,000 fee before mocking victims with 'go and buy another one' rant
Two thieves revealed how they can steal a keyless car in less than 20 seconds for a £5,000 fee, before mocking victims in a shameless rant and telling them to 'buy another one'. The two men used just one device to unlock the vehicle and drive away in the clip filmed for Channel 4 's latest Dispatches programme, Britain's Car Theft Gangs Exposed. Thief 'T' and an accomplice demonstrated how they use an amplifier, which looks similar to a radio or walkie-talkie, to pick up the signal from the 'key' inside a home and use it to unlock a car parked outside. The device works by scrambling the signal from a remote key fob, and was used in nearly 60 percent of car thefts in the UK last year. The two men, dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, demonstrated the technique on a car they claimed to have already stolen after placing the key fob in the living room of a property. After just a few seconds of holding the amplifier outside the window, the car door unlocked, allowing T to simply open the door and start up the engine. Once the engine had started, the accomplice could take the amplifier, jump in the car and they drove off - with the entire theft taking less than 20 seconds. The men then boasted of taking up to 20 vehicles a month for as much as £5,000 per car, depending on its value, and said up to 90 percent of them are stolen for parts. Asked whether they ever feel bad about their actions T said: 'These cars are insured, that's like, that's a first world problem. 'There's bigger s*** going on out there, that's, like... Your f***ing Range Rover's gone, boo-hoo, go and buy another one, man.' He added: 'A lot of these cars are getting broken for parts. A lot of them are getting shipped out, Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece.' The clip features as part of the Dispatches programme which reveals how organised gangs of criminals are stealing thousands of cars each year to then ship abroad, either for sale or, more commonly, to be 'chopped' - dismantled for parts. After the vehicles are stolen, many are transported in shipping containers as national and international agencies battle to prevent as many as possible reaching their intended destinations. NaVCIS agent Adam Gibson is seen discovering a container with three stolen cars - all with fake paperwork and crammed together with no concern for the vehicles' condition. A white pick-up truck from the bust bore a 2022 number plate - but Mr Gibson was able to determine it was actually made in 2023 and had been reported stolen from Kent in January. He said: 'This box is headed to Africa, which the roads out in Africa are obviously suited to this kind of thing.' During a short timeframe Mr Gibson tracked down three containers, totalling 12 stolen vehicles - some of which had even been cut in half to make space for more cars. He told how the value of vehicles stolen seems to be dropping while the volume is increasing: 'Whereas we were finding Range Rover's worth £150,000, we're getting pickup trucks and SUVs worth £40,000 now. 'We are seeing brands like Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Lexus. So the quality has dropped off, I suppose, but the volume has gone up. 'Some gangs will literally gut the car of any personal effects. Others will just leave everything. 'There's kids seats, toys, all sorts of them… I'm constantly told by people that vehicle crime, where it's victimless, it's just the insurance companies. 'Yes, the insurance company pay out, but we all get our premiums go up because the insurance aren't going to absorb it. So it has a knock-on effect on everyone else.' Data shows that a vehicle is currently stolen every four minutes, but crime agencies say they are taking stronger action to deter would-be thieves and reunite owners with their vehicles. In 2021, NaVCIS, the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service, recovered just 76 stolen cars - last year the figure had increased almost eight-fold to 589. Some 130,000 car thefts were reported to the police in 2023/24, around two thirds of which were keyless. After the vehicles are stolen, many are transported in shipping containers as national and international agencies battle to prevent as many as possible reaching their intended destinations Only three out of ten victims are ever reunited with their cars, while stolen vehicles go unsolved 90 percent of the time in London, Met figures show. For many cars though, by the time police catch up to the gangs it is just too late. The programme reveals how a blue Audi A4, fitted with a hidden tracker, was stolen from a woman's driveway in north London on March 15. The car's GPS signal showed the Audi moving east towards the borough of Enfield and then switching off. Days later the covert tracker wakes up and transmits the car's coordinates, the Audi has travelled 30 miles east from North London to a location in the Essex countryside, just inside the M25, a place called Baldwins Farm. Neil Thomas, a former police officer who works for a private track and recovery service for stolen vehicles, explained how Baldwins Farm is an excellent spot for the transit of cars. 'The access in and out is quite restricted, it's quite close to London, quite close the docks, so if you are exporting vehicles geographically it's a really good location,' he said. The tracker appeared to show the Audi in a wooded area at the northern end of the site, near to what looks like shipping containers. The site was surrounded by copious amounts of CCTV cameras and Dispatches soon discover that the tracker isn't transmitting, possibly due to GPS jamming or blocking equipment. Five weeks later, the tracker suddenly reappeared in Kaunas, Lithuania, and was tracked to a business in the outskirts of the city called Baltic Car Trade. Dispatches filmed the police raid on the property, but instead of finding a blue Audi A4, all they found that was left of the vehicle was a bunch of wires. The car, like many stolen off British streets, had been torn apart. A National Police Chiefs' Council spokesperson said: 'Vehicle crime is ever-evolving with increased technology advancements in vehicles and continues to be a challenge for policing which we cannot tackle alone. 'The National Vehicle Crime Working Group has brought together manufacturers, government and policing for a number of years now and the introduction of the National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership (NVCRP), is another positive step forward in our fight against criminals. 'Op Alliances was an intensification week which ran late last year between a number of law enforcement bodies and partner organisations which resulted in 180 arrests and the recovery of 316 stolen vehicles. 'It was a great example of the impact of focused partnership working and it is so valuable we can continue this through the NVCRP. 'Our fight has been strengthened with the latest Government legislation to stop the sale of devices like keyless repeaters and signal jammers which make life far too easy for criminals. Many of these devices serve no legitimate purpose, and we believe that they are involved in a large proportion of UK vehicle thefts, certainly in recent years. 'Removing access to such devices is of course just one element of tackling vehicle theft, but one that we predict could have a significant impact. Disposal routes for stolen vehicles are also a key focus and we work closely with the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NAVCIS) to target ports which we know stolen vehicles have been moved through, as well as with police forces and colleagues in the NPCC metal theft portfolio to tackle so-called 'chop shops' . 'We know that organised crime groups are responsible for a significant proportion of vehicle thefts and we are building on existing capability working with NaVCIS and Opal (National Intelligence Unit for Serious Organised Acquisitive Crime) so we can best use our resources to disrupt and target OCGs who profit from vehicle crime whilst causing misery for victims. 'We continue to work with our stakeholders in government, enforcement agencies and industry to build our effectiveness.' Britain's Car Theft Gangs Exposed: Dispatches will air on Channel 4 at 8pm on June 19.
