Beckenham and Penge has some of the highest rates of car theft in the whole country.
Everytime you open social media it seems someone else has had their car stolen. The RAC has ranked all towns in the UK for car thefts per 100,000 vehicles. It was alarming to see Beckenham in the top 10, ranked as 10th with West Wickham not far behind at 11th.
Car theft is far more than an inconvenience. It can prevent residents from getting to work, collecting children, attending medical appointments, or supporting family and friends. The financial impact is significant, and high levels of car crime also drive up insurance premiums for everyone in our community.
This crime is often carried out by organised gangs who steal cars to order, strip them for parts, or export them abroad. The profits fund further serious criminal activity. Tackling car theft is therefore essential not only to protect property, but to improve safety across our community.
Conservative London Assembly Member Thomas Turrell, and your local Conservative Councillors are campaigning for action.
We are calling on Sadiq Khan and the Government to...
- Giving police access to live ULEZ camera feeds
Allowing the use of ANPR technology to track stolen vehicles and dismantle the networks moving them out of the country. - Stronger checks on shipping containers
Criminals are exploiting weak inspection regimes at ports. This loophole must be closed. - Keeping neighbourhood police in the neighbourhood
Ending the routine abstraction of local officers to central London so West Wickham has the visible, consistent policing it needs, and investment in more dedicated Town Centre police teams, so other