Channel port crime

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Thu 7 Apr 2005 22:41
Channel port crime - Big Cat
On Sunday night in Le Havre we had our car broken into. Bag containing my passport, car V5 and some keys stolen. Oh joy...
Mentioned it to a friend yesterday and she said there's a wave of it going on at the moment, she mentioned Calais in particular so it would seem it's spreading. Thieves are targeting GB cars since they know holiday items will be in there.
So be warned if you're using ports at the moment, there seem to be some unpleasant people lurking around in the towns.
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Fri 8 Apr 2005 00:44
Channel port crime - Onetap
"Thieves are targeting GB cars since they know holiday items will be in there."

And possibly also addresses and keys to the homes of the holiday-makers?
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Fri 8 Apr 2005 01:55
Channel port crime - GeorgeOrwell
Sorry to hear about that, Big Cat. No one ever 'asks for' crime, but with hindsight do you not wonder about the wisdom of leaving such stuff in the car in the first place, even in a bag in the boot?

You can survive without a change of clothes, but without passport, keys, etc (which will all fit in your pocket) you're in dead schtuck.

Not advisable.
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Fri 8 Apr 2005 21:40
Channel port crime - Big Cat
I know I know I know. But we had driven over 400 miles and I was tired. The lure of a nice cold beer and a meal took priority!
Anyway lesson has been learned the hard way. Car thieves only have to be lucky once, the poor motorist has to be lucky all the time.

In over 30 years of going to France (often several times a year) this is the first incident. I suppose things could have been be worse, they could have stolen the car.
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Fri 8 Apr 2005 21:54
Channel port crime - cockle {P}
To be honest I thought it was pretty well common knowledge that GB plates are targeted around the Channel ports precisely because they are likely to be loaded with various 'goodies'.
My brother used to go over to Calais a lot for a good lunch followed by a bit of shopping on the way back to make enough savings to cover the ferry but he gave it up some four or five years back after having his car broken into three times on the trot. He never had anything stolen as he never left anything valuable in the car but it cost him the hassle of repairing a forced drivers door and two broken rear door glasses.
Pity really as we had a few reeeeally good lunches!

Cockle
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Sat 9 Apr 2005 11:03
Channel port crime - volvoman
Wouldn't surprise me if the likelihood of finding passports and other ID documents is one of the main reasons for criminals targeting such areas.
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