Call for vigilance following thefts from vans and sheds in Ellesmere Port

Officers investigating thefts from vans and sheds in Ellesmere Port are urging residents to be vigilant.

Tools were stolen from two white vans in the town between 6.30pm on Tuesday 3 March and 2pm on Wednesday 4 March and a shed was broken into at around 11pm on Monday 2 March.

The incidents involving workmen’s vans occurred in Bridge Meadow and Yeoman Way.

A petrol lawnmower and a pressure washer were stolen from the shed in Marbury Gardens.

It is not known at this stage if any of the incidents are linked.

Enquiries in relation to the incidents are ongoing as officers attempt to establish who carried out the thefts and make them face the consequences of their actions, and to recover the stolen items.

They are urging anyone with information about the thefts to come forward and are appealing for residents to take action to reduce their chances of becoming victims of such crimes.

Detective Constable Kevin Cooper, of Ellesmere Port Local Policing Unit, said: “Having your possessions stolen by thieves is deeply upsetting.

“We are determined to establish who committed these offences and bring them to justice.

“Enquiries are ongoing and we want to speak to anyone with any information or CCTV or dashcam footage regarding any of the incidents.

“Residents can also help us and themselves by making it as difficult as possible for criminals to enter their vehicles and outbuildings and steal their belongings.

“They can do this by following our crime avoidance advice.”

The Force’s tips for deterring would-be thieves are:

Vehicles

• Park your vehicle in a well-lit area and never leave it unlocked or with windows down
• Tools and other items of value should never be left in full view and should not be kept inside a vehicle overnight wherever possible
• If your vehicle does not have an alarm, get one fitted by a professional so that you and anyone nearby will be alerted to a break-in
• Use security devices, such as steering locks, to keep vehicles secure
• Never leave your car keys on display near a door or window in your home.

Outbuildings

• Never leave a garage, shed or other outbuilding unlocked and easy prey for opportunist thieves
• Fit strong padlocks to outbuilding doors and make sure that the doors are solid enough not to be kicked in
• Good external security lighting can put off or draw attention to a thief – the most appropriate form is high efficiency low energy lighting controlled by a dusk-to-dawn switch so that it only comes on when it is dark
• If you have external security lighting that comes on when sensing movement, make sure that the lights are directed downwards to prevent them from being annoying to neighbours and dangerous to passing traffic
• Strong fencing or gates will make it difficult for intruders to get onto your land
• Solid fences or walls, particularly those with a flat or rounded top, are relatively easy for a thief/burglar to climb over – fixing trellising to the top can make it more difficult
• Check for weak spots where a thief could get onto your land, such as a low or sagging fence or a back gate with a weak lock
• A thorny hedge along the boundary of your property can put thieves off, as can gravel areas due to the noise of walking on them.

Anyone with information or footage regarding the theft incidents in Ellesmere Port should call Cheshire Constabulary on 101, give the details via our website or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The IML numbers to quote are 652444 (theft from a van in Bridge Meadow), 652708 (theft from a van in Yeoman Way) and 651708 (theft from a shed in Marbury Gardens).