‘Do not leave anything of value in parked cars’

Sidmouth’s police are warning dog walkers and residents not to leave anything of value in their vehicles following a spate of break-ins.

Sergeant Andy Squires (pictured)said there are still some problems with thefts from car parks around the Sid Valley and urged people to be vigilant and to report anything suspicious.

He added: “The break-ins are not just confined to the summer months. The message is, do not leave anything of value in the car. We also ask that when people leave their vehicle and return, they have a good look around and be conscious of other car park users and whether there is anybody acting suspiciously.”

Sgt Squires said that, in the majority of cases, the culprits did steal something of value from the cars they targeted, which implies they might have been watching the area beforehand. He advised people to get the registration number of anybody acting suspiciously – without drawing attention to the fact - and report it to police by calling 101.