Spate of vehicle crimes reported across Horsham and surrounding areas

Police say they have been notified of 22 incidents over the past two weeks with cars and vans being targeted in the town and villages in the area.

A car, containing the owner’s bank card and coat, was stolen from Manor Road in Upper Beeding some time between 8.30pm on March 20 and 9am on March 22.

A moped was stolen from outside a shop in Church Street, Steyning, between 5pm on March 21 and 11am the following day, say police.

And two company vans were broken into in Foundry Lane, Horsham, on March 24 when thieves drilled the van doors.

A commercial van in Tilletts Lane, Warnham, was also broken into after its lock had been drilled and a large number of power tools, worth around £2,500, were stolen.

There was an attempted break-in of a car in Thelton Avenue, Broadbridge Heath, at around 9pm on March 26 but the thieves were disturbed and ran off.

Another van was broken into in Wickhurst Lane, Broadbridge Heath, on March 26 but the alarm was activated and the thieves fled without managing to steal anything.

Police say that a similar incident happened the same night in Bricklayer Lane, Faygate, when thieves again fled empty-handed after a van’s alarm sounded.

There was an attempted break-in of two vans in Bearsden Way, Broadbridge Heath, on March 27. The same night a car parked at the Crown Inn at Cootham was broken into. Police say that clothes and boots were in the process of being stolen when the thief was disturbed and ran off.

There were a string of other incidents on March 27 – a van parked in a public car park in Tilletts Lane, Warnham, was broken into when the thieves cut a hole in the side of a door and snatched power tools, worth around £2,000.

Number plates were stolen from two cars in Church Road, Broadbridge Heath, and a van was broken into in Calvert Link, Faygate.

A number plate was stolen from a vehicle in Spruce Hill Brook, Faygate, on March 28, say police. And the same night, thieves used a crowbar to try and break into a van in Bearsden Way, Broadbridge Heath. The following night a car’s driver’s side window was smashed in Old Crawley Road, Faygate.

In a further break-in in Corsletts Avenue, Broadbridge Heath, equipment worth around £6,000 was stolen.

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Three watches were stolen from a car in Jackrells Lane, Southwater, on March 30. Police say: “There was no sign of forced entry.” The same night, a car’s window was smashed in Black Horse Way, Horsham.

Someone was spotted walking around Conifers Close in Horsham trying to gain acess to vehicles on April 2 but it is not yet known if anything was stolen.

A van was broken into in New Street, Horsham, overnight on April 2-3. Police say: “Several flight cases containing high value items were stolen.”

And a front number plate was stolen from a vehicle in St Mary’s Close, Billingshurst, on April 3.