Police urge vigilance after four vehicles stolen from Derry and Claudy
Four vehicles were stolen overnight with two of them later found burnt out, PSNI have said
Police in Derry are asking vehicle owners to be vigilant after four vehicles were reported stolen overnight from Saturday, August 1.
Superintendent Sinead McIldowney said: “Two of the vehicles were stolen from the city, while two were stolen from Claudy village.
“A silver Kia Venga was stolen from the Mansfield Grove, in the Cityside area. It was last seen heading towards Dungiven at around 1am. A silver BMW 320D was taken from Clon Elagh following a burglary in which the vehicle keys were stolen. It was last seen by the householder at around 3am, and we know it was travelling towards Buncrana at around 3.30am. Our investigation, and attempt to find these vehicles, is continuing.
“Meanwhile, a grey Jaguar XF was taken from the Cregglea area of Claudy. It was last seen by the owner at around 9pm, and was located by colleagues from An Garda Siochana totally burnt out, in Burt, Co. Donegal, at around 2pm.
“Finally, a black Audi Q7 was taken from the Braefield area of the village. It was last seen by the owner at around 10pm. This vehicle was driven dangerously back and forth over the border throughout the night and into this afternoon, pursued by officers from both the Police Service of Northern Ireland and An Garda Siochana.
“Those on-board drove the Audi at high speeds with no thought for the safety of other road users. The vehicle was eventually discovered burnt out in the Mullennan Road area at around 6pm.
“We believe that the two thefts in Claudy are linked – and a further link to the thefts in the city is just one line of enquiry we are exploring. We’ve also been made aware that there was an attempt to steal two further vehicles in the Beech Hill View area of Drumahoe, and, again, we’re checking if these may be linked.
“We would appeal to anyone who may have seen any of these vehicles being driven in a suspicious manner, or who may have any other relevant information, to contact us on 101, quoting reference 661 02/08/26.
“We’re particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have relevant dashcam, CCTV or doorbell footage.
"Superintendent McIldowney continued: “I want to speak directly to those involved in this treacherous activity – this needs to stop, before you kill yourself or an innocent member of the public. Our officers continue to actively search for you, and we can assure the local community that, once located, we will rigorously purse criminal justice outcomes for these offenders.
“We would also take this opportunity to remind vehicle owners that is important that you ensure you are doing all you can to keep your vehicle safe. Please make sure you lock the windows and doors to your home before you go to bed, and keep your vehicles locked at all times.
“Having your vehicle broken into or stolen can be distressing, and it can cause a lot of inconvenience if you are without it while it is being repaired or replaced.
“You can find more information on keeping your vehicle safe here: https://www.psni.police.uk/safety-and-support/roads-and-driving/preventing-car-and-vehicle-theft
“Alternatively, you can contact police online using our witness appeal form at https://reporting.psni.police.uk/appeals
You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org.”