Three arrests have been made in connection with some 30 reports of sat navs and dashcams being stolen from vehicles in Ramsgate. One man has been charged and sentenced to a community order for theft offences.
Kent Police received the reports between February 22 and April 2.
In the early hours of March 8, officers on patrol arrested a 40-year-old man from Ramsgate on suspicion of going equipped for theft after they recovered a screwdriver and pliers. He has been released pending further investigation.
A 19-year-old man from Ramsgate was arrested on March 30 on suspicion of handling stolen goods after officers recovered two dash cams believed to be stolen in Ramsgate. He was released pending further investigation.
Sentenced
Jason Venni, 45, of no fixed address, was charged on March 19 with the theft of a dashcam from a vehicle in Dane Park Road in Ramsgate on the same date and attempted theft from a vehicle in Vale Square in Ramsgate on March 18.
He admitted the offences at Medway Magistrates’ Court on 20 March and was sentenced to a 12-month community order and ordered to pay £350 compensation.
Patrols are being carried out in the town centre and investigations into the stolen items are ongoing.
‘Windows smashed’
Inspector Rhiannan Pepper from Thanet Community Safety Unit said: “In many of these reports, windows have been smashed during the thefts, as items can be taken very quickly that way.
“Although people are mindful not to leave their wallet and purses on display in their cars, technology used in the car daily can sometimes be forgotten about – even though these items can be very expensive.
“Don’t give thieves a chance to go window shopping by leaving your valuable gadgets on display in your car. Take them out at the end of your journey.
“Try not to leave any clues that you use such equipment, clean the tell-tale suction marks from your windows and remove the holder.
“Also consider property-marking your dashcams and satnavs and make a note of serial numbers, so if they are stolen, it will be harder for criminals to sell on, and if we recover stolen goods, it will be easier to reunite you with your lost items.”
