Peebles residents warned 'be vigilant' after spate of car thefts

Residents of a town in the Scottish Borders have been warned to “remain vigilant” following a spate of vehicle thefts.

Officers received several reports of vehicle crime in Peebles between 12am and 3.30am on Saturday.

A Suzuki SX4 was stolen from Dovecot Road, and a Volkswagen Golf was stolen from Standalane Terrace.

While a Honda was also broken into on Montgomery Place, and there were reports of car doors being tried in Provost Melrose Place.

Police have confirmed that they are investigating each crime, but have warned those in the area to take extra precautions when possible.

Using a garage or a driveway, parking in well-lit areas preferably covered by CCTV and investing in a tracking device are all good ways to try and protect your car.

Detective constable Ryan Elliot said: “We have officers investigating these incidents to trace those responsible and disrupt this activity.

“We urge anyone who witnessed anything suspicious, or who has information regarding these incidents to contact us. We would also ask people in these areas with doorbell or dashcam footage to please contact us if it holds anything relevant.

“We urge all vehicle owners to be aware and take extra precautions to combat this type of criminal activity including not keeping keys or fobs near doors or windows and buying a signal blocking pouch that can block the transmission of the signal from the key.

“Steering locks can also be effective while vehicle trackers and tracking devices are also a form of additional security and can assist police in recovering stolen vehicles quickly.

“Anyone with information about these thefts should contact officers via 101 quoting reference number 0082 of 23 May. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained.”