Basildon: tackling vehicle crime across the district

Across the Basildon district, thefts from vehicles are falling, says Inspector Steve Parry.

While this is good news, we know we have more work to do to raise awareness of how people can protect their possessions.

And officers are also working hard to tackle an increase in vehicle thefts.

Steve, who heads up the Basildon Community Policing Team, explains that Ford Fiestas have proved popular targets recently but a number of higher-value vehicles have also been stolen.

“We take an intelligence-led approach, using information the public give us, cross-referenced with crime reports, to identify hotspots. Then our teams patrol those area in marked and unmarked police vehicles and on foot. 
“If officers have cause to suspect a vehicle has been stolen, cloned or involved in criminal activity, they can stop it, speak to the occupants and search them if necessary. Stop and search is a valuable policing power and can avoid the need for an arrest if no criminal activity is detected.”
Inspector Steve Parry

“As well as mounting pro-active patrols, our community policing officers do a lot of crime prevention work, speaking to motorists about protecting their vehicles.
“We encourage people to ensure their vehicles are secure, which means fitting appropriate security devices, parking them in a lit area if you don’t have a lockable garage and, if you’ve got the opportunity, installing CCTV or doorbell cameras.”
Inspector Steve Parry

Overall, vehicle crimes increased across the Basildon district by 2.5% in the year to 31 January 2025, compared to the previous 12 months. While car thefts rose, reports of thefts from vehicles and of vehicle interference both dropped. And we have seen a downward trend in thefts of vehicles in the past three months.

Drivers and passengers are reminded not to leave valuable items on display if they leave vehicles unattended. Our police community support officers regularly speak to motorists about this while they are patrolling or hosting special crime prevention events, including at local hotels.

“A lot of tradespeople come to Basildon to work and we are working with hotels to allow them to store tools in their rooms overnight. The hotels also liaise with each other and warn each other of incidents, as well as reporting them to us.
“We also seek to recover stolen vehicles wherever we can. Some vehicles are fitted with tracking devices but we also rely on the public to look out for unfamiliar vehicles parked up in their road or parking area.
“I know the vehicles which normally park in my own street so a new one would stand out to me – particularly if it is damaged in any way. If you report such vehicles to police, we can easily check to see if it has been stolen and, if so, return it to its owner.”
Inspector Steve Parry

Just last week two vehicles stolen from Billericay were located by officers in Wickford.

“Obviously, we would prefer that the vehicles hadn’t been stolen in the first place because we know how thefts affect their owners.
“Aside from the inconvenience of being unable to drive to work or take the kids to school, someone’s livelihood can disappear in an instant, for example if the tools of their trade are stolen from their van.
“And this is why we are urging people to keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report crimes to us. When you do, giving us as much information as you can, including CCTV or doorbell camera footage, if you have it, can help immensely, both with our investigations and by informing our operational activity.”
Inspector Steve Parry

Staying safe

Visit our crime prevention pages for advice about keeping your vehicle and its contents secure.

You can also watch our short video for top tips on preventing vehicle crime.

You can report crime and anti-social behaviour online and you can also use our online Live Chat service 24/7. Alternatively, you can ring 101.

Always ring 999 if it’s a crime in progress.

You can also contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, online or by calling 0800 555 111.

Help us reduce road collisions and casualties in Essex and make our roads even safer. Report instances of poor and dangerous driving through Safer Essex Roads Partnership's Extra Eyes initiative.

More than ever, irresponsible, dangerous and illegal road behaviour is being recorded by road users. Through Extra Eyes this footage can be sent to, and reviewed by, an investigator within Road Policing at Essex Police.

Find out how by visiting Safer Essex Roads Partnership website.