A defrosting car has been stolen from a city estate this morning. Police in Stoke-on-Trent have warned the opportunistic thieves are roaming during the morning where vehicles are being left unattended.
This morning, just after 7am, a Vauxhall Zafira was taken from Meir’s Sandcrest Place. Police say the keys were in the vehicle and it was left defrosting. A thief struck, hopped in, and drove it away.
During January last year and there were similar thefts across Benitlee and Meir. In November and a car was taken from Waverton Road, in Bentilee, where it was defrosting.
This week has seen temperatures nosedive and a heavy frost settling on windscreens overnight. Those conditions are expected to continue into the weekend where snow is also forecast and weather warnings are in place.
Police say thieves are ‘looking for easy opportunities’ and will be roaming between 6am and 10am when cars are being defrosted.
Inspector Rebecca Price, deputy commander of Stoke-on-Trent South Local Policing Team, said: “Please don’t make it easy for opportunists during this latest cold weather snap, which is expected to continue into next week. We see an increase in the theft of motor vehicles when the bad weather arrives due to people leaving vehicles unattended to defrost the windscreens. Make sure you stay with your vehicle at all times when it’s defrosting, or running. Also, keep your keys with you at all times.”
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