Police are appealing for witnesses after power tools were stolen from a van in Newent at the weekend.

Thieves got into the vehicle on Lakeside between 7pm on Saturday 23 October and 9am on Sunday 24 October. After releasing the handbrake, causing the van to roll into the road, they were able to access the back and took a quantity of Milwaukee cordless power tools.

Officers are appealing for anyone who saw the van being abandoned in the road or who may have dashcam footage to contact them.

Anybody with information should contact police through the website, quoting incident 134 of 24 October: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us/us/a-crime-that-has-already-been-reported/You can also call police on 101 or report it anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Having your car broken into and losing your things to thieves can be very distressing. There are a few simple steps you can take to keep your vehicle, and what’s in it, safe.

  • Mark tools clearly with your name or company name and address, using paint pens, and seal with a clear lacquer spray. Alternatively, you can use a variety of other property marking systems. Items that are clearly marked are less desirable and more difficult to sell on.
  • Consider using a lockable cabinet within your van to store tools – a number of security rated products are available. Small cameras are also designed to record inside vehicles.
  • You can also take photographs of items of value, make a note of the serial numbers and consider registering them online at a property register site.

More details can be found on the Gloucestershire Constabulary website: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/keeping-vehicles-safe/