POLICE across Dorset have taken part in a national vehicle crime intensification week to disrupt activity and support drivers in keeping their vehicles safe.

Organised crime groups are known to commit vehicle thefts and target specific vehicles, with offenders using devices disguised as normal items to commit the thefts, say police.

The week of action, taking place between September 16 and 22, saw officers focused on targeting the theft of high-value keyless cars, theft of mopeds or motorbikes and theft from motor vehicles.

Proactive patrols were carried out at car parks and known hotspots to deter offences from taking place and look out for suspected offenders.

Focused activity was carried out to identify suspects of reported vehicle crime offences, and more than 50 visits were made by officers to provide prevention advice at key locations.

As a result of this work, two people were arrested and subsequently charged and a Renault van that was reported as stolen from a hire company was recovered.

Throughout recent months, officers from the local neighbourhood policing teams have been putting dedicated intelligent-led patrols in specific areas to target anyone who is suspected of stealing items from a victim’s vehicle.

Dorset Police has also been running Op Motor to tackle the theft of keyless vehicles. A number of investigations are underway into reports of these incidents to target any suspected offenders and upstream criminals who organise for vehicles to be stolen and resold, often out of the county.

Prior to the intensification week, in a five-week period officers arrested 18 people for various vehicle crime offences.

Detective superintendent Steve May, of Dorset Police, said: “In Dorset, we have seen an increase in reports of theft of motor vehicles, as well as thefts from a vehicle, which is in line with a national rise in these types of incidents.

“We know the significant impact vehicle crime has on victims and we will consider all proportionate and available lines of enquiry to investigate reported incidents.

“We will continue to monitor crime reports for patterns of offending and where we see an increase in a particular area, local officers will respond with increased patrols in the vicinity.

“There is a lot of work ongoing across the county to disrupt this type of offending and ensure the public do not become victims of these impactful crimes.”