Car thefts have left town 'lawless', residents say

Karen Lucas says it is "very worrying" intruders had been in her home

Residents have described their community as "lawless" due to a "lack of police" after a spate of vehicle thefts and vandalism.

Karen Lucas, who lives in Washington, and her two children were asleep when intruders entered their home, found her keys and made off with the family car.

The number of vehicle crimes reported in the town has increased each year since 2021, according to official figures.

Northumbria Police said a dedicated operation to tackle vehicle crime had been launched, which had resulted in the arrest of nine people.

A spokesperson added plain-clothes and uniformed officers were being deployed to "targeted areas" in the town "day and night".

'Very scary'

Ms Lucas moved to the area from Newcastle in 2023 and said a lack of police officers was "noticeable".

"Once it hit home that someone was in the house, it was very scary, very worrying," she said.

"I was asleep, the kids were asleep, if they had come downstairs who knows what might have happened."

She was left £1,300 out of pocket to pay for a hire car and has spent hundreds on extra security for her home.

"There are quite a few people on the estate born and bred in Washington and even they themselves are saying they’ve not seen it [car crime] this bad," she added.

"It's really just put a damper on things, we were so excited to move here."

A previous Facebook group set up by residents to report vehicle thefts and vandalism attracted more than 5,000 users, with reports of such incidents being posted multiple times per week.

'Vehicle crime rife'

Northumbria Police figures published by Police.UK revealed there were 196 reports of vehicle crime in Washington in the 12 months from May 2021 to April 2022.

The number rose to 267 between May 2022 and April 2023, and the figure was at its highest between May 2023 and April 2024, with 350 incidents.

Residents in one part of the town, Concord, told the BBC it was common to see smashed car glass where attempted break-ins had occurred.

Business owner Aimee Nolan called for more police officers

Aimee Nolan, who runs a shop in the area, described vehicle crime as "rife".

"You don't see many police officers now walking around on foot, or driving around, so it has had a big impact on Washington," she said.

"I don’t think people really understand how bad it is."

However, Audra Dunning said although the situation had become "horrendous", the police "can only do as much as they can" with the resources they have.

Police chiefs confirmed they had seen an increase in vehicle-related crimes and they were "committed to fighting crime and keeping people safe".

Ch Insp Gemma Calvert said a special operation had been launched to crack down on such crime in Washington and it had "listened to our community's concern".

"That's why we launched Operation Dreyfus, to stop offenders in their tracks and ensure those responsible are brought to justice," she added.

Some vehicle-related crimes have been reported in Concord

She said nine people had been arrested and several of those were due to appear before the courts.

"None of this could have been possible without the support and co-operation of the residents of Washington," she added.

She said officers would continue to carry out "targeted patrols in hotspot areas" and visit residents to offer "reassurance".

"There is no place for criminality and we are prepared to use every tactic available to us to pursue perpetrators."

Labour's Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth said "operational decisions" fell under the remit of the force's chief constable.

She said she "understands" people's concerns and encouraged residents to take part in a public consultation to identify policing issues that matter most to them.