A GANG of thieves are putting lives at risk by stealing cars and joyriding them around Basildon and Laindon.

The yobs have caused thousands of pounds of damage, stealing vehicles in burglaries and then smashing them in to parked cars and burning them.

About 15 cars have been stolen in just overamonth. Thieves are targeting homes between about 11pm in the evening and 6am in the morning.

In one incident, the yobs did “doughnuts” around a football pitch at Gloucester Park before ploughing into a goal post – causing £1,000 of damage.

Sgt Angie Torrance, from Basildon police station, said: “These incidents have all involved cars being driven erratically around Basildon and in a number of cases they have been abandoned and set on fire.

“Fortunately, there has not yet been a serious collision.

“However, if these people continue there is the potential someone could be seriously hurt.

“These incidents are very upsetting for those who have their cars taken and it is vitally important those responsible are brought to justice.”

Police are appealing for anyone who spots people acting suspiciously in a car, or a car being deliberately damaged or driven erratically, to contact them on 999.

In many cases the thieves force open the front door and steal a handbag and vehicle keys.

The crooks then joyride around Basildon and tend to dump the cars relatively closely to where they were stolen, often within 24-hours of the break-in.

They tend to be dumped in parks, car parks and open spaces, while some are abandoned in the street.

Sgt Torrance said there a number of different makes and models of cars being targeted, but the thieves seem to favour Fords including C-Max, Focus, Fiesta and KA models.

She added: “We have seen clusters of these offences in Craylands, Lee Chapel and in The Knares and we are deploying targeted patrols in these areas. However, we really do need the public to get in touch if they see anyone acting suspiciously in a car, driving erratically or deliberately damaging cars."

 

Echo:

"It cost us £1k to repair our football pitch"

TEAMS have had their football practices
cancelled and Basildon Sporting
Village has had to fork out £1,000 after
yobs torched a car on a football pitch.
Thieves stole a Fiesta from
Mynchens, Laindon, on September 13,
and drove it to the park before doing
“donuts” round a football pitch, crashing
it in to goal posts and torching it.
Tom Fletcher, manager at the centre,
said: “It looks like they drove on to
the pitch and got stuck in the mud
before crashing into the goal posts.
“It has cost us about £1,000 to make
the repairs and we have had to cancel
fixtures this weekend while the new
grass beds in.
“Unfortunately, we were not able to
get images on CCTV.
“It’s a real nuisance. In fact it is
more than that because innocent residents
are losing their cars and it is
having an effect on the wider community.
“These people need to be stopped.”

 

Echo: Tom Fletcher, manager of Basildon Sporting VillageTom Fletcher, manager of Basildon Sporting Village

Tom Fletcher, manager of Basildon Sporting Village 

 

Woman sickened by theft while her family slept

A WOMAN was left feeling
“sick” after she was targeted by
the gang.
The woman, who lives in Lee
Walk, Basildon who asked not to
be named, said: “They broke in
with a screwdriver through the
front door while we were asleep
on Saturday night.
“They took my handbag with
keys, money and car keys.
“Then they closed the door
behind them so when we got up
we didn’t realise we had been
burgled until 9am when I went
to give my husband a lift to football.
It was only then I looked for
my bag and it had gone. Then we
went outside and my car had
gone too.
“After phoning the police they
later confirmed it had been
found burnt out that morning.
“It is sickening feeling you
can’t be safe in your own home.
“Luckily some of my cards
and handbag, minus money,
were found in Laindon.”