In a bid to protect our communities from car thefts, North Warwickshire Borough Council has secured extra funding to offer residents a free signal blocking tool, known as a faraday pouch.
Keyless car thefts continue to be a problem across the UK. Criminals use a relay device to transmit the signal to owners’ cars. The car thinks the actual key is close by and unlocks itself and allows the engine to be started. When keys are kept in the faraday pouch it prevents the thief from picking up the signal from the key and therefore, they are unable to steal your car. It is equally important to remember to safeguard your spare key fob in a similar manner to ensure comprehensive security.
Faraday pouches have already been distributed around some of hot spot locations by the Police along with some great engagement with residents whilst on patrol. To date 1600 pouches have been distributed and a further 1000 be made available.
The Community Safety Partnership is committed to working together to reduce crime and disorder across North Warwickshire. The goal is to ensure that North Warwickshire remains a healthy, happy, prosperous, and safe place to live, work and visit. The partnerships priorities are to protect our residents and communities from violent crime, make our roads safer, prevent and reduce crime in our rural communities, and to prevent and help the police detect house burglary, vehicle crimes, business crime and robbery.
The current analysis of hotspot locations near the M6 identifies Coleshill, Corley, and Fillongley as areas of concern, with a notable increase in vehicle thefts over the past quarter, particularly involving Ford and BMW models. Offenses in these hotspots predominantly occur overnight, from Tuesday to Thursday. In response, additional patrols and operations, including TAVACO and Operation Yard, are being implemented to intercept offenders. These efforts are complemented by initiatives aimed at raising awareness about vehicle crime and promoting the use of Faraday pouches for enhanced security.
Chair of the Safer Communities Sub-Committee, Councillor Ray Jarvis said:
“Over time, I have observed a concerning trend: a significant increase in keyless car thefts. Recently, I engaged in discussions with North Warwickshire Borough Council’s Community Safety Officer, as well as representatives from the police, regarding the procurement of 1000 Faraday pouches for distribution by our Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) Officers throughout North Warwickshire.
The 1000 pouches were effectively distributed in high-crime areas, resulting in positive feedback from both the police and the public. The demand was so significant that the SNT requested an additional supply. Consequently, a further 1000 pouches are being purchased.
The success of this initiative has prompted the police to request an additional 1000 pouches, a request I am more than happy to endorse”.
Adam Skelsey, Warwickshire Police said:
“Thanks to the support of North Warwickshire Borough Council, we have successfully distributed over 1,600 Faraday pouches to date with more on order. Each distribution not only allows the public to engage with our officers but also facilitates the provision of crime prevention advice, fostering positive interactions between the officers and the community. Given that this type of crime is currently our most pressing concern, I am confident that these efforts have contributed significantly to the prevention of further offenses, and we will continue this work going forward”.
If you are a resident in North Warwickshire and would like a free Faraday Pouch, please email nwe.snt@warwickshire.police.uk with your name and address.