Advice following vehicle thefts/scam in Abbots Langley

The Abbots Langley Safer Neighbourhood Team would like to alert residents to a recent scam which is seeing victims have their vehicles stolen.

Officers have received a number of reports of victims who have been attempting to sell Mercedes vehicles online and have ended up with their vehicle stolen.

Sergeant Andrew Blackwood, from the Safer Neighbourhood Team, explains: “The offenders are turning up to view the Mercedes and then completing a key swap. The victims have been led to believe that they still retain the original or spare key and the offenders have arranged to make an offer the following day. However, the offenders then arrive back in the late evening or early hours of the morning and use the stolen key to access the vehicle, start it up and drive off.

“We are working hard to identify the offenders and bring them to justice but in the meantime we urge residents to remain vigilant.

“There are a number of steps you can take to help protect yourself from vehicle theft. Firstly, always lock your vehicle even if you are just fuelling up or popping back into your house to get something.

“Keep your keys safe and if you have a keyless entry vehicle, protect the fob in a Faraday bag to block the signal.

“Fitting a good quality steering lock is also a good idea. You can also invest in a gear lever or clutch pedal security device to give your vehicle added protection.

“For more tips, please visit the crime prevention pages on our website on our website.”

You can report information online, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat or call the non-emergency number 101.

Alternatively, you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form.