Police have repeated appeals for Land Rover owners to be on their guard after a further spate of vehicle thefts in the last few weeks.
Four iconic Land Rover Defender models have been stolen from the area of Edgmond near Newport since mid September.
In the latest theft, a Defender was taken between 9.30pm and 10.30pm on Tuesday 8th November whilst the owner was visiting a premises in the village.
PC Lee Thomas from the Newport Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “Land Rovers are the classic go anywhere vehicle and are highly prized not only by their owners but also organised criminal gangs who have a ready worldwide market to dispose of any vehicle they can lay their hands on.
“Not only are these vehicles very expensive to purchase in the first place, they retain that value very well both as complete vehicles and when broken for parts.
“We have already increased our patrols especially in the rural areas where Defenders are more common and in the last few weeks around the Newport area we have been distributing security advice leaflets to country stores, garages and any Land Rover vehicle we have seen parked up.”
Two of the four stolen vehicles were tracked to the West Midlands and quickly recovered by police and PC Thomas was keen to emphasise the benefits of fitting such equipment.
“It’s common practice for thieves when stealing expensive cars, to park them up somewhere inconspicuous like a shopping centre or public car park, for a day or two just to see whether there is a tracking unit fitted before moving it on to its next destination.
“Tracking devices are no longer the expensive things to fit and maintain that they once were. Basic systems that require just two wires connected to your car battery and a mobile phone SIM card to work and are tracked via your own mobile phone can be purchased online for as little as £20.
“Clearly a more expensive system will have other benefits and some police vehicles are fitted with receivers for Trakker branded equipment which, once activated, will alert nearby police patrols and guide them directly to the vehicles location.
“Other police advice includes to fit, and activate, anti-theft alarms and additional steering locks and don’t forget to lock the doors.”
Anyone with information regarding Land Rover thefts, or who sees people acting suspiciously near the iconic vehicles especially in the evenings or at night is asked to call police straight away on 101.