A 60-year-old man has been sent back to prison after he broke into vehicles parked in two East Staffordshire villages while released on licence.

David Quayle broke into cars in the Rolleston and Tutbury following his release from jail.

He has now been sent back to prison after being caught by police and convicted in court of a total of 15 offences.

The extent of his offending led to police issuing a warning to residents to be on their guard, while Tutbury parish councillor Bill Crossley is also warning motorists not to leave their car windows down and vehicles locked, especially in the warm weather.

Quayle has been convicted of 11 charges of theft from vehicles and four offences of vehicle interference in the Rolleston and Tutbury areas. He broke into the vehicles between June 7 and June 13.

Vehicle Thefts Young Male Mechanic Holding Lockpicker To Open Red Car Door
Thief is caught after breaking into vehicles across Rolleston and Tutbury. Illustrative picture

Items he stole included cash, glasses, sunglasses, tools, bags, clothing and shoes.

Quayle, of Mill Hill Lane, Derby, was made the subject of a community order for these latest offences, but has been re-called to prison as he was out on licence at the time.

Councillor Crossley said: "I have not heard about this [spree of offending] but I know there has been talk about burglaries. Someone I know was recently burgled so I have had cameras installed. I can see my car parked on my drive so it is quite useful as it records if someone comes up the drive.

"I would advise always lock your car. This hot weather means it is easy to get out of your car and keep the windows down when you are popping to the shop."

The gang stole cars to carry out their crimes before dumping them
Thief has been sent back to jail. Illustrative picture

PCSO Lucinda Hadfield, of the Needwood policing team, issued a warning to motorists after Quayle's arrest, and dished out advice which included checking car doors manually even if they have been locked via a key fob log as criminals can use devices which block the signal.

An alert to residents aid that following the recent theft from vehicle in the Rolleston and Tutbury area Staffordshire Police arrested a person in connection with these crimes.

Her alert urged residents to continue to be vigilant and follow the advice below in regard to keeping their vehicles safe.

PCSO Hadfield added that with the exception of specialist theft for car parts such as catalytic converters, most thefts from vehicles is opportunistic.

She said that while this often involves forced entry to vehicles she said it is surprising just how many cars are left unlocked.

You can reduce the risks by following some simple advice:

The number of car thefts has sky-rocketed in the last year
15 cars were raided or tampered with. Illustrative picture
  • Make sure you have locked your vehicle and your windows are closed too, even for short stops.
  • Use your garage or park in well-lit, well-populated and overlooked areas.
  • Remove your valuables. Even bags, jackets, cases and toys have a value to a thief.
  • Lock possessions away in your boot, but only if you cannot access the boot from the rear seats and you cannot unlock the boot from a switch in the cabin.
  • Remove loose change from view. Its presence may tip the scales in any decision on whether to attempt to break in.
  • Remove electronics such as sat-navs. You should also remove any holders or chargers and wipe clear suction cup marks.
  • Register expensive in-car entertainment systems with Immobilise.
  • Keep ID badges on your person as they are attractive to fraudsters.
  • Don't assume your vehicle has locked properly using a key fob lock. Criminals can use devices which block the signal. Always check your doors are locked before leaving your vehicle unattended.