Advice following car thefts in the Gwent Area

Officers are advising owners of keyless cars, especially Ford Fiesta STs, to be vigilant following a number of thefts in the Gwent area.

We've received reports of 9 Ford Fiesta ST thefts since April.

Thieves can use software to pick up the signal emitted by keyless entry systems to gain access to vehicles so it’s recommended that your fob is kept out of sight, however this doesn’t stop it from being cloned.

There are some further simple steps people can take to reduce the risk of being the victim of such a theft:

- Consider investing in a signal blocking case for keys which aims to prevent them being scanned by thieves, these can be bought easily online.

- Contact your car dealer and check if your vehicle has any outstanding software updates, which may improve security.

- Check if the keyless fob can be turned off/on, your dealer can confirm and advise how to do this.

- If you have another vehicle in your household that is not keyless, parking this in front of the keyless vehicle will add another layer of security.

Other crime prevention tips:

• Mechanical steering locks, driveway posts, wheel clamps and trackers are also effective ways of protecting vehicles from thieves
• Park vehicles in their garage or on a driveway.
• Park in areas that are well lit and avoid areas which are in cover of darkness or obscured from any public view.
• Never leave any personal items on show inside the vehicle.
• Don’t leave evidence of valuables i.e. windscreens marks caused by sat navs.
• Always ensure unattended vehicles are locked.
• Be vigilant and report suspicious behaviour.

Anyone with any information on the recent thefts can call us on 101 or send us a direct message via Facebook or Twitter.

You can also report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.