Rise in ‘hook and cane’ crimes

MOTORISTS across Runcorn and Widnes have been warned after a wave of burglaries in which vehicles have been taken from outside the victim’s home.

DC Marc Roberts said a spike in ‘hook and cane’ offences has been reported in Halton and Warrington.

This method involves fishing for car keys through letter boxes.

DC Roberts said other burglaries have taken place in which the culprits are believed to have climbed through open windows or walked through unlocked doors.

Residents have been urged to keep their car keys away from external doors and windows and to keep their homes secured.

They can also report any suspicious behaviour to the police.

DC Roberts said: “We are committed to preventing this type of crime from occurring and diligently investigate those that do happen.

“In response to this, Cheshire police have increased marked patrols in the targeted areas and also deployed our Task Force to patrol the county’s northern border, working with colleagues from similar teams in Merseyside to intercept criminals travelling across the border.

“We do all we can but we still need the continued support of members of the community to help us tackle this.

“We can’t stress enough how important it is to be security conscious.

“The advice to residents is always to make your property as secure as possible.

“Report anything suspicious by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency we would rather you call and be wrong than we miss something that might be a vital clue.”

Motorists can also take more steps to protect their vehicles.

DC Roberts said: “The sooner that we recover a vehicle the more chance we have of linking it to the actual burglar, rather than someone who has bought it or used it afterwards. “With that in mind there are companies that provide tracking equipment to be fitted to your vehicle.

“Other ideas are to use traditional alarms and steering locks.”