The shirts are ready, fantasy teams are being endlessly changed, and supporters across the country are starting to think about that first trip to the ground.

Football is back.

With the football season getting underway, stadiums across the country will once again be welcoming thousands of supporters through their turnstiles.

For vehicle thieves, matchday presents an interesting set of circumstances. Large numbers of vehicles arrive in the same area within a short space of time, many are parked away from home in unfamiliar locations and, once kick-off arrives, their owners are unlikely to return for at least a couple of hours.

 

When the crowds go in, the cars stay out

Anyone who regularly drives to football knows the routine.

The closer it gets to kick-off, the harder it becomes to find a space. Official parking fills, nearby roads become congested, and supporters start looking further away from the ground.

For criminals targeting specific makes and models, attention may turn to vehicles left on surrounding streets as supporters make their way towards the stadium.

There is also a degree of certainty that does not exist in many other parking environments. Once somebody has headed through the turnstiles, there is a good chance their vehicle is staying exactly where it is until the final whistle.

That makes where and how a vehicle is left worth considering.

Matchday security should start before you park

Security decisions are better made before arriving at the stadium than when kick-off is ten minutes away, and you are desperate for a space.

Factory-fitted systems do not have to work alone. Physical security, aftermarket immobilisation and tracking technology can add further barriers and make a vehicle a less straightforward target.

Parking deserves the same thought.

A convenient space on a quiet side street might save a walk to the ground, but it may also leave the vehicle isolated once supporters have moved into the stadium. Where possible, managed parking with good lighting, CCTV, controlled access or regular activity offers a less inviting environment.

Clubs and police, keeping supporters informed

There are already examples of football clubs and police working together to tackle vehicle crime around matchdays, and there is an opportunity to build on that approach.

Local police intelligence can help identify areas where vehicle crime is causing concern around a ground, while clubs have a direct line to thousands of supporters travelling to every home fixture.

Sharing relevant information before a match could help supporters make better informed decisions about where they leave their vehicles. Club websites, social media and pre-match communications all provide opportunities to highlight local concerns when needed.

Supporters can play a part too. Reporting incidents and suspicious activity helps build the intelligence picture and may reveal patterns that are not immediately obvious from individual offences.

Closer communication between clubs, police and supporters could therefore become another useful part of the matchday response to vehicle crime.

Seeing the bigger picture

A vehicle stolen near a football ground may initially look like an isolated incident. Similar vehicles being targeted around the same ground, or across several locations, can tell a different story.

Connecting those pieces of information is important when dealing with organised vehicle crime.

Football brings thousands of people together every week. Inevitably, it brings thousands of vehicles together too.

So as the new season gets underway, enjoy the football, think about where you are leaving your vehicle and make sure the security protecting it is appropriate for the risk.

After all, the only thing you should be checking at full time is the score.