Car crime victims' group lobbies Downing Street

A number of local political representatives and a west-Belfast based pressure group have met the Home Office minister in London today to urge the government to bring in tough measures against car criminals.

Up to 20 people from the Families Bereaved Through Car Crime also handed in a letter at 10 Downing Street in support of their demands before meeting with Lord Falconer this afternoon.

The group was set up in May last year following a number of deaths as a result of car crime. West Belfast suffers the scourge of so-called 'joy-riding' most acutely and police say that of all vehicles reported stolen in the Province last year 7.2% were stolen in west Belfast.

The Bereaved Families have drawn up a seven key points which they believe would seriously curtail car crime. They are:

• a new law providing a 15-year sentence for car thieves who cause death
• tough penalties for passengers
• courts to oppose bail in cases where death is caused
• families of victims to be kept fully informed at all times
• setting up of a task force to tackle car crime
• review of youth provision in areas where car theft is rife
• more resources for community groups to help combat car crime

The families were supported in London by UUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson, Sinn Fein MP Gerry Adams and SDLP assembly member Alex Attwood. And according to Mr Attwood, today's event had been a "watershed" for the campaign.

"For the first time a common cause is being made between families in the north and politicians who have the same issues in their local constituencies throughout Britain," he said.

"As the families' campaign gathers pace politicians in Britain and Ireland are coming to accept the families' call for tougher bail, tougher sentences and more youth intervention."

He added: "It was clear that the families now have an attentive political audience and growing community support and can now achieve their goals."

On Monday it was announced the PSNI's Auto Crime Team and the families group had joined forces in an effort to reduce car crime in west Belfast and Dunmurry.

It is anticipated that leaflets promoting the Auto Crime Hotline will be delivered to 35,000 homes in the area. Under the heading 'Car Crime -Together we can tackle it’, the leaflet encourages local people to report instances of car crime in the area using the hotline number 028 9061 0202.

The police have stepped up operations against car criminals and the crime unit has reported that a total of 1,257 stolen vehicles have been recovered in west Belfast since the start of April last year. This represents 23% of all the vehicles recovered after being reported stolen across all of Northern Ireland.

(GMcG)