Advice issued as Land Rovers and Range Rovers targeted across the force.

Officers are issuing crime prevention advice following recent reports of Land Rovers and Range Rovers being targeted by thieves - often in so-called keyless thefts.

This month there have been 13 attempted or actual thefts across our force area, with Stockton district being worst affected.

And in the early hours of today the owner of a Land Rover disturbed a group of males attempting to steal his vehicle from outside his Saltburn address.  They made off from the scene and enquiries to identify them are ongoing.

Police are asking owners of these vehicles to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to Cleveland Police.

There are also a number of steps which owners can take which could help prevent their vehicles from being targeted, such as:

• A good quality disc steering lock which is Thatcham-approved is a great visual deterrent to a thief.
• Store your fob in a Secured by Design approved key shield. Keeping your fob out of sight is not enough. Consider purchasing a fob blocking bag, such as a Faraday bag (ensure they are bought from a reputable source).
• When parking your vehicle consider using a car park with the Safer Parking Award, signified by a blue tick symbol. When returning to your car, be aware of your surroundings and who is hanging around.
• Ensure your car is locked, all windows are shut and all valuables are removed before leaving your vehicle unattended.
• Be vigilant and keep an eye out for suspicious activity in your neighbourhood and report anything unusual to police on 101, or 999 in an emergency.

Anyone who may have information is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101.

Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling 0800 555 111.

Further crime prevention advice can be found at Home | Cleveland Police