Land Rover Defender owners across North Yorkshire warned to be vigilant following spate of thefts

Officers have increased patrols and are proactively patrolling - in both marked and unmarked police vehicles - to detect and deter thieves looking to travel into the country to steal the vehicles.

There has been a spike in the number of Defenders stolen in the York area and North Yorkshire Police are urging owners to take extra steps to secure their vehicles.

Older models of the car are particularly valuable, due to the continuing popularity if the vehicle, their reliability and the ease of breaking them down into parts, police have said.

Inspector Clive Turner, of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Task Force, said: “Fortunately, at this time we haven’t seen a significant rise in Land Rover thefts in North Yorkshire and York. However, the national and regional trend is clearly increasing, and for that reason we’re taking action now.

“We know the theft of a Land Rover can have a really significant impact on farms and other rural businesses, so it’s important to put in place extra security measures to protect these vehicles.

“Vehicle trackers in particular are invaluable, and can make all the difference in recovering your stolen property and identifying suspects.

“Officers will be proactively stopping and checking Land Rovers – and using ANPR technology to track suspicious vehicles linked to thefts.

“The message to criminals is that we’re looking for you, and it’s simply not worth the risk operating in North Yorkshire.”

Police are also advising Land Rover owners to make sure their vehicles are parked in a locked garage or other secure area, or in a well-lit open space if not.

Drivers are also reminded not to leave the vehicle’s keys in the ignition, in the same outbuilding as the vehicle, or near the front door inside their homes.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Pannone said: “You can’t understimate the impact crime has on rural communities.

“It can make some people feel more vulnerable than others.

If you lose a vehicle from a farm, this can directly impact your livelihood. So I’d say the theft of vehicles is a major concern for me.

“We’re putting a lot of work into making sure that the people coming into our county to steal quad bikes and other vehicles are being targeted by our officers.”

A lot of covert work is ongoing behind the scenes to disrupt gangs who steal from rural residents and farmers.

Mr Pannone said: “North Yorkshire traditionally is one of the safest places in the country to live in terms of crime rates.

“This year, crime across virtually every category has gone down. However, I think that the Covid crisis in a rural setting is more problematic because people are not out as much looking out for each other. Any hidden problems are even more hidden than normal.”

Anyone aware of any suspicious activity is urged to call police.