In May 2026, Matthew Barber (Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley) pledged a hostile environment to those who seek to commit vehicle crime in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes as a new strategy was launched to tackle vehicle crime.

Developed in partnership with Thames Valley Police, the Vehicle Crime Strategy aims to reduce harm and prevent offending with a focus on five key pillars; Prevention, Collaboration, Data and Intelligence, Enforcement and Trust and Confidence.

Matthew said: “This strategy delivers on the commitments set out within my Police and Crime Plan to drive down vehicle crime across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes.

To help address Vehicle Crime and Tool Theft, we worked with Thames Valley Police and partners, retailers and hoteliers on a campaign to raise awareness of precautions residents can take to help reduce the risk.

The dedicated crime prevention campaign, in support of ongoing policing activity, aimed to inform residents about how to keep vehicles and tools safe from criminals.

The campaign consisted of clear car advice posters and literature with more detailed advice and guidance, which was distributed through partners and stakeholders.

In addition we hosted a series of free tool marking sessions across Thames Valley with tool marking kits available on a first come, first served basis with a number of other theft prevention items (including faraday pouches and anti-theft number plate screws) available to take away.

If you were unable to attend one of our sessions, please contact us if you are interested in being added to our waiting list (to receive a free tool-marking kit if/when stocks allow).

How can I protect my vehicle?

To help prevent theft from your vehicle, there are a number of top tips you can follow including:

• Removing your valuables such as cash, credit cards, shopping bags, sunglasses, mobile phones and any device holders.
• Parking with care in a well-lit area where possible.
• Ensuring you have locked your car and closing any windows.

To help prevent theft of your vehicle, there are a number of top tips you can follow including:

• When at home keep your key a good distance from your car and keep them out of sight, making sure they are not visible through a front door or window.
• Put your car keys in a screened or signal-blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag. If your car doesn’t unlock while the fob’s inside, it’s working. Don’t forget to use one for your spare fob too.
• Lock your vehicle, even when refuelling or parked at home.
• Check the technology on your vehicle and how to use it – some vehicles have a super or double locking feature, which disables the interior door handles and means a thief can’t unlock the door from the inside if enabled.
• Use physical security measures such as steering wheel and gear stick locks, which have been tested to Secured By Design and Sold Secure standards.

For further advice on how to protect your vehicle, please read our clear car advice leaflet (opens in Adobe PDF).

To find out more about how to prevent theft from your vehicle, please visit the Thames Valley Police website.