A woman has issued a warning to others to look out for strange markings left on their car after her windscreen was targeted more than once. Laura Morgan first noticed marks on her car two months ago - with two crosses drawn onto the windscreen.
Some have told her the marks are used by would-be thieves to communicate with each other. Laura told the ECHO: "It took almost two months for me to even realise what was happening, I thought it was kids at first, but it was happening between the hours of 10pm and 6am."
Markings left on people cars and outside people houses have been reported as code used by criminals for years - with varying reports of how accurate they are. In the past, some police forces have issued lists of signs that could be drawn outside your home as a message for burglars.
Other forces have said it is just an urban myth. As well as odd chalk shapes drawn outside houses, people have also found bands tied around lampposts and cable-ties tied on car door handles, with people claiming they are a message to criminals.
People claim the marks are used to indicate things such as 'lone victim', 'lone woman', 'no security measures' or 'high-value target'. It is said thieves leave them behind with the intention of coming back later or as a message to others in their gang.
The Safeguarding Hub - which shares home protection advice and information across the UK - previously said: "Between us, we have a fairly extensive knowledge of burglary.
"We have spent many hours speaking to distraught victims, visiting crime scenes and dealing with burglars. We have actually seen and experienced these symbols being used by criminals.
"This is not to say that this is a common practice between bands of thieves, for most burglars work alone. We do not want to scaremonger and we can say confidentially that the use of these symbols is very rare.
"But, if you are a caregiver to an elderly or vulnerable person and spot strange marks outside their home, do you really want to dismiss it out of hand without just ensuring that the symbol is legitimate?
Security firm Keytek said: "These ‘robbery markings’ or ‘burglar signals’ are basic sketches and forms that are supposedly used as a ‘code’ to determine whether a house is worth targeting.
"These illustrations are also supposed to indicate to other thieves what type of person lives at the property, such as whether the residents are vulnerable, elderly, or live in a single-family home."
It added: "Chalk is the main material burglars use as it is easily removed and not as noticeable as materials such as spray paint markings outside the house.
"As well as burglar chalk signs, burglars mark houses with almost anything they can; it may be a small blob of paint or a piece of string tied around a lamppost."
