Police are appealing for information following two separate incidents in which vehicles were taken without their owners’ consent in St Helier and St Saviour earlier this week.

In the first incident, a black Toyota Icon estate, registration J127405, was taken from the area of Langtry Gardens on Rue à la Dame in St Saviour. The vehicle went missing at about 5.30pm on Monday 2 March.

It was later recovered at around midday on Tuesday 3 March, after sustaining “significant damage”.

A second appeal relates to a blue Mini Cooper, registration J128941, which was taken from the Pier Road area of St Helier near Normans.

The vehicle had been left in a private parking space at about 5pm on Tuesday 3 March.

The Mini was later found in St Martin during the early hours of Wednesday 4 March.

States of Jersey Police are asking anyone who may have information about either incident to come forward, particularly if they have relevant CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage from the area.

The appeals come just a week after police launched Operation Handle, an initiative aimed at tackling a rise in “joyriding” offences across the island.

The operation was introduced after the number of cars reported stolen doubled during the first two months of the year compared with the same period last year.

Ten vehicles had been reported stolen by this point last year, compared with 20 so far this year.

In 2025 as a whole, 53 vehicles were taken in Jersey – roughly the equivalent of one per week.

Chief Inspector Craig Jackson, who is leading Operation Handle, said many incidents were opportunistic and could be avoided.

“These crimes are completely preventable, and these young people aren’t going out with specific tools to do the job; they are simply opportunist,” he said.

He added that the vehicles were often taken by young people already known to police and who were not legally able to drive.

“The young people don’t have a driving licence, they are disqualified because of their age, and it is probably pure luck that they have not yet injured themselves or someone else,” he said.

Police say most vehicles taken last year had been left insecure, with keys inside the vehicle or nearby.

Anyone with information relating to the two recent incidents is asked to contact police on 612612 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via its online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.