Thurrock: Community policing officers recover three stolen vehicles in one day

Three stolen cars have been recovered by officers from Thurrock Community Policing Team.

Following information received, they located a Ford Puma in Castle Road, Grays, and a Kia Stinger in London Road, Purfleet, today 27 January 2025.

Both cars have been recovered and will be returned to their owners.

Officers also located a BMW 3 Series dumped down a farm track in Chadwell St Mary, which had been stolen from Oxford two days previously. Unfortunately, it had been broken down for its spare parts.

All vehicles will be tested forensically and inquiries into the thefts are ongoing.

Sergeant Adam Priest says:

“We recover many vehicles undamaged and it’s nice to be able to reunite them with their owners. 
“But we can’t do this without your help. If you see a vehicle which seems out of place to you, please report it to us.
“Vehicles are sometimes hidden in plain sight, such as in a public car park, for a couple of days while criminals wait to see if anyone is coming to claim it.
“If your vehicle has a keyless fob, store it in a signal-blocking pouch and, in any case, always keep your keys out of sight and away from the front door. You may also wish to consider fitting a steering lock or a tracking device to your vehicle.”

In the year to 31 December 2024, thefts of vehicles, thefts from vehicles and reports of vehicle interference across the Thurrock district decreased by 13% compared to the previous 12 months.

If you have information about thefts of or from vehicles, you can report it to us online or by using our online Live Chat service, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Or you can ring us on 101.

Alternatively, the independent charity Crimestoppers has launched a campaign to request anonymous information about who is responsible for vehicle theft in our communities.

• More information about the campaign and how to give information anonymously can be found on the Crimestoppers website.