Cheshire Constabulary

Neighbouring two of the worst cities for car crime - Liverpool and Manchester – Cheshire has a below average rate of 115 offences per 10,000 registered vehicles.

The worst affected areas are Warrington and Ellesmere Port, with 217 and 185 incidents per 10,000 cars taking place between 2011-2012. Although Ellesmere Port has a relatively low number of registered cars, its crime rate is inflated by the thousands of vehicles parked in its industrial district. Ellesmere Port is also home to the Vauxhall car factory, which again stores thousands of vehicles. Criminal damage represents half of all reported crimes, while car thefts account for just eight per cent of all offences.

Mitsubishi, Land Rover and Vauxhall are the makes of car that are most targeted by criminals, while the safest vehicles are Honda and Jaguar, with 68 and 69 reported crimes per 10,000 cars. The safest district in Cheshire is CW3, with just 17 comparable crimes.

Cheshire Police recently launched a campaign to target car crime in its worst areas, with a new initiative designed to work alongside local neighbourhoods and businesses. The scheme will be introduced in Warrington first, with more police patrols and improved CCTV.

Sergeant Gordon Jack of Cheshire Constabulary said: “We are committed to tackling vehicle crime in Warrington.

“As part of a proactive operation to tackle the issue officers have been visiting businesses in the area and giving them valuable security advice. They have been urged to pass this advice onto their customers. Businesses have also been asked to display signs in their car parks − an area traditionally targeted by thieves.

“Customers are warned not to leave any valuable items on display inside their vehicles whilst they are unattended. They have also been warned not to put valuable items in the boot of their car when they get to their destination. This is something they should be doing at the start of their journey − thieves have been known to watch people as they park up and put valuable items in the boot for safekeeping. They then target the vehicle stealing the items from inside.”

See also: Top 10 Cars Stolen to order / Top 10 Most Stolen Cars