Uttoxeter street in county-wide top 10 for car thefts
THE worst places to park in Staffordshire have been revealed in a list of the roads where the most cars have been stolen, including a street in Uttoxeter.
Our research has found a tiny cul-de-sac in the south of the county has experienced the most thefts.
A total of 27 vehicles parked on or near Cherry Lane, near the Great Pool – a lake in Himley – were swiped in 2020.
Also in the top 10 is the area around Ashbourne Road, Uttoxeter – off the infamously logjammed Mcdonald’s roundabout on the A50.
Open space near Alton Towers theme park, also made it on to the list.
Several locations near motorway services on the M6, including the area around the BP garage on the Stafford stretch – where there were 22 thefts – also feature.
The area with the second-highest number of car thefts in Staffordshire last year was near the BP petrol station in Stafford, where there were 22 such crimes.
Another hotspot for stolen vehicles was around Green Lane, in Tamworth, with 20 thefts.
Overall, there were 4,865 vehicle thefts across Staffordshire in 2020 – more than four for every 1,000 people living in the county, a rate below the national average.
Across England and Wales, there were 432,178 car thefts last year, which was slightly more than seven cases for every 1,000 people and up from 338,671 in 2019.
The precise locations of vehicle thefts have not been disclosed by police to protect the identities of victims.
RAC Insurance spokesman Simon Williams said: “It’s worrying that despite people spending far more time at home than usual in various lockdowns, car thefts have continued to increase.
“But when you consider that in half of cases criminals use keys to steal vehicles, and in around a fifth they are able to get into cars because they’re not locked in the first place, it starts to make a little more sense. As many of these crimes are opportunistic there’s a lot drivers can do to reduce the chances of falling victim. Always locking vehicles and not keeping keys in places where they could be easily stolen come top of the list.
“Drivers might also consider going ‘retro’ by investing in a steering wheel lock which is still an effective deterrent, just as it was back in the 1990s. Parking in a garage or other well-lit residential area is also important, and when out and about it’s a good idea to look for car parks that are patrolled, covered by CCTV or carry the Parkmark logo.”
The top 10 car theft hotspots in Staffordshire in 2020 are:
■■On or near Cherry Lane, South Staffordshire – 27
■■On or near M6 Stafford North Motorway Service Area – 22
■■On or near Green Lane, Tamworth – 20
■■On or near Park/open Space near Alton Towers – 16
■■On or near M6 Hilton Park Services – 15
■■On or near Petrol Station on M6 Southbound – 13
■■On or near Ashbourne Road, Uttoxeter – 9
■■On or near Petrol Station near M6 Keele Services Northbound – 9
■■On or near Fraser Street, Stokeon-trent
■■On or near Birmingham Road, Lichfield – 8.