POLICE are working with a convicted car thief to get tips on how to protect motorists from becoming victims of crime.

Officers from Dorset Police have spoken to the thief about how he selected vehicles, in order to provide tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of vehicle crime, as thieves often need only 10 to 20 seconds to commit a crime.

Vehicle crime has been an issue in Dorset for several years, and despite arresting prolific offenders regularly, criminals continue to target vehicles across the county.

A large volume of vehicle crime occurs in the Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole conurbation where there is more opportunity.

Other thieves target rural beauty spots, especially at this time of the year when more people visit the countryside, but many leave their vehicles unattended for a long time with few other people around.

In the hot weather, people sometimes leave their windows open and doors unlocked when they park up or leave smaller items like sunglasses on show, which entices the thieves to try door handles and break-in to the vehicle.

Some criminals attempt to steal from one hundred vehicles per day, so the advice from police is - remove it, lock it.

A convicted car thief, who committed vehicle related crimes in Charminster, East Cliff, West Cliff, Winton and Boscombe has provided the following advice for motorists, to avoid being targeted.

He said: “The more security that your car has, the less likely it is to get done.

“When I’m looking at a car, I’m looking at what kind of security it’s got, I’m looking at whether it’s going to be something quick and easy or if it’s going to take a bit of time.

"Depending on the situation and time I’ve got, I decide whether it’s worth doing.

“I’ve found wallets in there, car keys and house keys, jewellery – people just leave a lot of stuff.

"Don’t leave anything on display – nothing. I wouldn’t even leave anything in door wells.”

But according to the former thief there are a number of things that can deter a criminal from breaking into your car:

“Stickers, security signs that say ‘this car is alarmed’, visible alarm systems, steering locks, gearstick or handbrake locks – those type of security measures.

"These tell me that this person has gone out of their way to secure their car and, therefore, they are more forward-thinking so would be less

likely to leave anything of value in their car and I would be less motivated to do it."

Rural East Dorset beauty spot car parks have already been the victim of eight thefts from unattended motor vehicles since the beginning of March and we have not even reached summer yet.

Entry was made either via insecure doors with searches then carried out to look for anything hidden, or with windows smashed if valuable items were clearly on show.

Officers will be carrying out daily covert and overt patrols of all our beauty spot car parks throughout the rest of spring and summer.