Louie French joined Longlands and Sidcup Police and Sidcup Partners on a community safety patrol to raise awareness of keyless car thefts and how to help prevent them.
This follows Louie receiving concerns from residents about local car thefts, particularly keyless car theft when thieves only need to be within a few meters of a car key to capture the signal and unlock and start the car. During the patrol, Louie, Officers and Sidcup Partners handed out free signal-blocking pouches for local residents to put their key fobs in to prevent this crime.
Alongside the pouches, Louie and the Police provided advice to local residents to help prevent car theft which included fitting good in-car security locks. The Police advise that built-in steering locks aren’t necessarily thief-proof and can still be forced and broken and therefore advice a Sold Secure security device. The Metropolitan Police outline full advice on how to prevent car theft here.
Commenting, Louie said:
“I fully recognise local concern over car thefts, particularly keyless car theft and therefore welcomed this great community safety project which was warmly welcomed by the many local residents we spoke to. I would like to thank local Officers for their time and Sidcup Partners for securing the funding for the pouches.”
“More widely, I will continue to push for greater measures to tackle car theft including working with the Government to take further steps to reduce car thefts particularly those committed through the use of signal blockers, as well as campaigning for reversals to tri-borough policing to ensure Bexley Police Officers are able to focus on local crime, including car theft prevention and appropriate follow-up and investigation when these crimes do occur.”
