Since the 1st of April, Lewisham Police have received three motor vehicle related Crime reports concerning Forest Hill Ward. Two involved theft from motor vehicles and occurred in the Horniman Drive and Honor Oak Park areas of Forest Hill. The third incident involved the theft of a motor vehicle and this occurred in the Dunoon Road area of Forest Hill.

These offences also appear to be opportunistic.

Officers from your local SNT will continue to patrol all parts of Forest Hill both in uniform and plain clothes to reassure the public and deter offenders but I ask that, as a car or motorcycle owner you make your vehicle as undesirable as possible to those individuals wanting to commit these offences by ensuring all items of property are removed from sight when your vehicle in not being used. Quite often when on patrol, my colleagues and I see handbags left on the front passenger seat or sat nav/mobile phone cradles left in situ on the dashboard or windscreen; try not to do this.

Another point I want to make you think of is leaving vehicles unattended with the engine running when popping into the paper shop or on your driveways. DO NOT do this, as any vehicle left unattended like this can be stolen in a matter of seconds and more importantly, you will if this happens, find it very difficult to receive any payments from your insurance company as it could so easily have been avoided.

If you want advise on vehicle security, please contact us or visit the Metropolitan Police Service web site which has some great crime prevention advice on this and other subjects.

Yours sincerely, Michael 195PL

Michael Hill PC 195PL (DWPC)
Mail; Forest Hill Safer Neighbourhood's Team A
Metropolitan Police Service
Catford Hill Police Station
128 Catford Hill
London SE6 4PS