Hallam continues to report stolen cars

Hallam FM has extended its trial of a joint initiative with South Yorkshire Police.

Presenters on the station have been reading out registration plates from stolen vehicles and will continue for another month.

The initiative, originally planned to run between the 3rd of January and the 3rd of February, involves officers from South Yorkshire Police’s control room supplying Hallam FM with the details of cars that have been reported recently stolen. The station then asks listeners to report sightings.

Inspector Craig Clifton of South Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Group said: “During the first month of this initiative we supplied Hallam FM with the details of more than 20 vehicles that had been reported within 15 minutes of being stolen. Hallam FM’s presenters informed their listeners of the details of each vehicle and encouraged them to report sightings direct to the police.

“A response from one listener set off a chain of events that led to the arrest of a suspected prolific car thief from Doncaster and the recovery of a stolen Range Rover.

“During January, the first month of the trial, 244 vehicles were stolen in South Yorkshire compared to 310 vehicles stolen in January 2011. By working with Hallam FM in this way it means we can potentially increase reported sightings and further improve the chances of recovering recently stolen vehicles as well as sending a clear warning to would be car thieves.”