‘DON’T CONFRONT’

DR KEN GERMAN is a former boss of the Met Police’s Stolen Vehicle Squad. He now works for the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (IAATI), the organisation for professionals preventing and detecting vehicle crime.

‘Wonderful is the only word to describe social media when recovering stolen cars. It’s instant, and it’s the modern day interpretation of putting up posters. Do remember to report it to the police as well though, and don’t write anything outrageous. State all the information and facts you know.

‘If you think you’ve seen a stolen car, report it to the police to see if it’s outstanding. Don’t wander over and confront – it might’ve been recovered and it could be the owner with the vehicle.’