Car thieves won’t take a festive break in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

Chief Inspector David Bruce has admitted that cars are the key must-have items for thieves this Christmas.

This newspaper has featured a number of incidents, chiefly in Abronhill where a break-in turns into a car theft, after keys are left in plain sight within the home.

Chief Inspector Bruce said: “It is almost impossible to steal a modern car without the true key.

“The overwhelming majority of overnight break-ins in this area has been to pave the way for the theft of a vehicle.

“Unfortunately, in most cases, the thieves were able to walk into houses through an unlocked door or open window, picking up smaller items like mobile phones in the process.

“There are also a number of vehicle makes where a spare key is located inside the vehicle and the owner is expected to remove it for safekeeping. “This often does not happen and thieves know it.”

“No-one is ever to blame for being a victim of crime but locking doors and windows is the simplest way to keep your property safe as is keeping car keys out of sight.

“Suffering a theft at this time of year can be very distressing especially if presents are stolen.

“These are often concealed in sheds so youngsters don’t find them, but again, thieves are aware of this.”