Police in Staffordshire have issued an urgent security alert to residents following a significant crimewave targeting homes and vehicles in specific parts of the county.
Series of High-Value Car Thefts
The warning comes after a spate of burglaries over recent weeks, with thieves specifically targeting high-end cars. In the last few days alone, Audi and Lexus vehicles have been stolen during raids in the Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire Moorlands areas.
Detectives revealed that approximately 20 burglaries or attempted burglaries have been reported in the Moorlands area in the past month, indicating a concerning trend.
Detailed Accounts of Recent Incidents
Staffordshire Police shared specific details of the latest incidents. One occurred in the early hours of Friday, January 2nd, on Long Lane in Harriseahead.
Four men were seen in the rear garden of a property. Two got into a black Audi A5 they had arrived in, while the other two entered a nearby home and stole a black Lexus using its keys. The two cars then travelled in convoy away from the scene towards Biddulph.
The suspects were described as dressed in black, with one man in the Audi wearing a distinctive red bobble hat and another in a grey coat. The stolen Lexus was later recovered abandoned on Newpool Terrace in Brown Lees.
This theft followed another reported in Biddulph on Thursday, January 1st. There, a red Audi S4 and a black Audi A5 were stolen with keys from outside a property off Well Street at around 6am. Police believe one of these stolen Audis was used in the later Kidsgrove incident.
Police Appeal and Security Advice
Inspector Karen Cooke of the Staffordshire Moorlands local policing team stated that officers are doing all they can to identify the offenders. She emphasised the crucial role residents play in prevention.
“To help us, please remember to always lock your front and back doors to your property and ensure your vehicles are locked,” Inspector Cooke urged.
She provided specific security advice, recommending the use of steering wheel locks and storing vehicle keys securely, ideally inside a Faraday pouch to prevent relay theft.
The force's overarching message is a clear call for vigilance, urging all residents and drivers in the affected areas to ensure their homes and vehicles are locked and protected at all times to deter further criminal activity.
