Police say there has been a spate of wing mirror thefts and one part of town has been hit hard
AN NHS worker’s Jaguar has been stolen from outside her house in Penarth following a spate of wing mirrors thefts from high-end cars.
Emily Warren has been left with a hefty bill after the thieves struck – and she’s not the only person to fall victim, according to police.
“Myself and my neighbour woke up to find the glass from the wing mirror had been taken,” said Mrs Warren, a senior NHS employee. “Then two weeks later, I came out to take my kids swimming—the car wasn’t there.”
Her Jaguar E-Type was stolen from Plassey Square in Penarth. “It’s strange to think that within two weeks, both my wing mirrors and car were taken,” said Mrs Warren, who relies on her car to commute to her NHS job in Swansea. She now pays for a hire vehicle to commute to work, which she describes as “less than ideal”.
“I’ve lived here for five years, and there’s been no crime. It’s made me concerned… these people knew when to come back, knew when we’d be home, and just took it.”
She said it’s so far taken four weeks of dealing with insurance companies, plus the expense of a deposit for a new car. “It’s been a nightmare,” she added. “It’s already an expensive and inconvenient time of year coming up to Christmas.”
Mrs Warren praised the police for their quick response and efforts to secure doorbell footage, but the experience has left her uneasy. “I’m worried about buying a new car and parking it in the same place. Someone might come and steal it again.
“I think police could step up patrols. There’s this perception that if a car gets stolen, there’s not much they can or will do about it.
“There needs to be national messaging saying they won’t tolerate car theft or household burglary… people should be more frightened of a police response.”
Mrs Warren is not the only Penarth resident to have a vehicle targeted. At a Penarth Town Council meeting on October 16, a police inspector told the council of “a rise in wing mirror theft across Penarth, particularly in the St Augustine’s ward”.
More expensive vehicles, such as Range Rovers and BMWs, are being targeted, reported Inspector Gareth Childs. “In response, we have increased night-time patrols and introduced other preventative measures,” he said.
Insp Childs said that thieves appear to be travelling to the area, targeting certain vehicles, and selling the parts on to third parties using platforms such as eBay.
Pictured right: eBay is one of the platforms used to sell mirrors. Credit: James Bessant Davies
Earlier this year, driver Sophie Powell returned to her Range Rover parked on Stanwell Road to find the mirrors unfolded.
“I said to my husband, ‘You’ve locked the car, right?’ But then we realised… the mirrors had been taken, and they’d snipped the wires.
“It’s a right pain, my car was off the road for ages – it needed more than just mirrors; the electrics were damaged too. I know at least ten people it’s happened to around here… one friend got hit multiple times,” said Mrs Powell.
The hidden cost of stolen mirrors
Under UK law, it is illegal to drive without a functioning driver-side mirror, making quick repairs crucial.
“We’ve seen more and more customers coming in to replace stolen wing mirrors, especially on models with blind spot sensors,” said a representative from Stratstone Land Rover on Hadfield Road, Cardiff.
Repair costs for stolen wing mirrors can vary widely, depending on the model and type of technology integrated into the mirrors.
Many owners have been quoted between £1,000 and £1,500 for replacements on high-end models, with additional costs if wiring or electronics are damaged.
“People are paying hundreds to replace mirrors, only for the replacements to be at risk again,” said resident Judith Read, who had the mirrors stolen from two vehicles parked outside her home in the St Augustine’s ward.
“I called [the dealership] straight away, and was quoted something like £1,400… and was told I was the sixth person that morning to call,” she said.
Instead of accepting this quote, Mrs Read bought third party mirrors online without the premium blindspot functionality.
For some, insurance covers part of the cost, but higher premiums and large deductibles make it a difficult decision.
Chetna Upadhyay-Murphy had both mirrors stolen from her Volvo while parked on Paget Road. She said: “I’m a teacher… I couldn’t drive my car, so it was hard to get to work. By the time my car was finally fixed, it was a good three weeks.”
Concerned she would be targeted again, Mrs Upadhyay-Murphy added: “The very next day, my husband bought a security camera. But at the end of the day, if they’re going to take it again, they’re going to take it.”
Pictured left: Mirror of a Range Rover. Credit: Chetna Upadhyay-Murphy
A South Wales Police spokesperson said: “South Wales Police takes every report of crime seriously and considers lines of enquiry and available evidence when allocating officers to attend a crime scene.
“The force has led the way in the use of facial recognition technology to identify criminals caught on CCTV, doorbell cameras and mobile phone footage. We are committed to making our communities safer by reducing crime, solving crime and seeking justice for victims.”
