POLICE in Farnham are urging van owners to check their security after a fresh wave of tool thefts in the town.

According to PCSO John Francis of Farnham’s neighbourhood police team, on Wednesday, May 16, officers received four reports of thefts of tools from vans in Farnham.

Two of these occurred on a building site in South Street at 9.40am while the others happened in Longley Road sometime between 9.15am and 9.45am, and Victoria Road sometime between 9.30am and 3.30pm.

The police have recovered clear CCTV images relating to the South Street incidents, in which a white man wearing a dark baseball cap can be seen getting out of a silver Ford Transit panel van and walking towards the two vans that were targeted.

But unfortunately the footage does not show a clear facial image of the male, so officers have been unable to identify him. The Transit van also has false number plates, which had been cloned from another vehicle.

PCSO Francis added: “We have been advised by our colleagues in Hampshire Police that they believe that the same silver Ford Transit, using a variety of false number plates, has been involved in a number of tool thefts in their area.

“We will continue to work with our colleagues in Hampshire to try and find the van together with the identity of the suspects that are currently using it, and will then use appropriate police powers to deal with them.”

Following the thefts, PCSO Francis has urged all local van owners to always lock their vehicles including the back doors while driving, fit an alarm, remove tools or equipment overnight and keep van keys safe while working.

Van owners are also urged to consider registering their property at www.immobilise.com and sign up for the latest crime updates and crime prevention advice online at www.intheknow.community/ . Further crime prevention advice can be found online at www.surrey.police.uk/advice .

Residents and business owners can call 101 to report anything suspicious.