A message from our Gloucestershire colleagues after a vehicle theft in Moreron-In-Marsh.

Police are reissuing a warning to Land Rover owners to be vigilant following a spate of vehicle thefts in the Cotswolds.

There have been a number of keyless Land Rover thefts reported in the region, as well as a reports of offenders forcing entry to properties and stealing car keys to the 4x4s before making off in the vehicles.

In the latest incident, which took place between 4am and 4.20am on Thursday 25 April, two Land Rover Defender X-Dynamics were stolen from the driveway of a property in Moreton-in-Marsh.

It is believed the unknown offenders gained access to the property by forcing a downstairs door before stealing two sets of car keys and taking the vehicles from the driveway.

Officers are actively working to identify those responsible and while enquiries continue, police are asking people to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity, such as people appearing to scope out properties by driving past slowly in vehicles.

Land Rovers and other high value vehicles like BMWs, Audis and Range Rovers are common targets for thieves and residents are being urged to review their security and ensure that their vehicles are properly secured by following these measures:

- Purchasing a signal suppression pouch/box such as a Faraday Pouch.

- Ensuring that spare keys are kept locked away and consider removing the battery so there are fewer examples of the same key frequency available to target.

- Thinking about where you leave your keys when at home. Whilst not guaranteed, the more central the keys are placed within a house, the better. Do not leave keys close to the front door however practical it may be.

- Owners are encouraged to speak to their vehicle’s manufacturer about preventative advice including changing the vehicle’s security and convenience settings or fitting tracking devices.

- Consider having steering wheel locks, gear level locks or a ‘Pedal Box’.  A Pedal Box is a bright yellow metal box that is made to fit your car, wrapping around the foot pedals. It has a lock on the box and prevents the pedals from being accessed. Being yellow it can be easily seen and may ward off any potential thieves early.

- If you have gates to your driveway, ensure they are closed and locked at night.

- If you have a garage, is there space to store your keyless vehicle inside it? If so, this will not only hide it from view but it will also act as a further barrier to thieves.

 - Parking defensively- this can include parking near to bollards, putting non-keyless vehicles in front or behind the car in question or having driveway gates as a physical barrier.