Warning on thefts

A number of operations have been conducted in an effort to detect and disrupt these incidents and a 34-year-old man was charged with theft from a motor vehicle, going equipped and criminal damage following an incident in the Highfield area on March 1. He appeared before Lisburn Magistrates' Court on March 2.

Police are asking vehicle owners to ensure they take all necessary steps to protect their property.

The main thing is to ensure your vehicle is properly secured at night. Leaving valuables, such as your handbag, wallet, CD player, laptop, Sat Nav or phone on view in your vehicle is like an open invitation to opportunist thieves.

If they see something valuable on view, they will find a way to get it. You only have to leave your vehicle for a short time for a thief to act.

By taking simple precautions such as locking valuable items in the boot of your car, or removing the face plate from your in-car stereo system you can help ensure that your valuables will be kept safe. Taking just a few moments can significantly improve your chances of not becoming a victim of this type of crime.

Improved car security features such as alarms, immobilisers and tracking devices can also help protect your vehicle and your valuables.

As it only takes a matter of seconds to break into a car, we would also urge local residents to promptly report all suspicious activity they notice near vehicles or car alarms that have been activated, as this will help to deter and help police to detect those involved in this type of crime.

Anyone who would like further crime prevention advice on this or any other subject is asked to contact their local crime prevention officer. The telephone number to ring is 0845 600 8000. Reports of suspicious activity or information about crime should also be given to police.