Phase 1 (Pre-implementation)

By

Done

1. Establish baseline

Agree period prior to implementation for which evidence on vehicle crime in target car parks will be available or collected, and gather data.

Data for the baseline period will help assess whether change has occurred. This data needs collecting before the project starts.

Gathering data for individual car parks will help in assessing the impact of the various improvements made.

• Identify comparable area(s)

Comparing changes in the project area with what is happening elsewhere is important in establishing whether any changes are the result of the project, or are likely to have happened anyway.

Comparators should include:

1. the wider area
2. another area similar to the project area.

In this case, look to gather data on thefts of and from vehicles in town centre car parks not covered by the initiative, and in other town centre locations. This will help to check for possible displacement.

1. Calculate the estimated cost of theft of and from vehicles in the car parks targeted

This is important to establish whether the steps taken are cost effective.

Home Office guidance estimates the average cost of vehicle crime as £1,100 per incident (1996 prices) split between victims (£500) potential victims (£300), the Criminal Justice System (£200) and other (£30). Link to HO Guidance Note. Local partners are advised to review these figures to check that they are a reasonable reflection of the local situation.

Data on car park revenues/usage will help assess the impact of improvements on driver behaviour, and extent to which improvements can be self-financing.

Phase 2 Project implementation

• Monitor inputs and outputs

Monitor:

• the number, timing and cost of security improvements against targets set in the action plan.
• the number, timing and cost of policing operations against targets set in the action plan, plus numbers of arrests
• Usage/revenues in target car parks.

1. Seek views from those involved.

Interview police and car park operators about experience of the scheme.

• Collect [monthly] vehicle crime statistics

Gather data on thefts of and from vehicles for target car parks and comparison areas.

Phase 3: (Post implementation)

7. Evaluate project outcomes and compare with baseline

Calculate changes in thefts of and from vehicles in the car parks targeted and in comparator areas

• Calculate costs and savings

Calculate the costs of the initiative

Estimate the savings from the no. of vehicle crimes prevented, and compare the two.

Assess the extent to which costs have been offset by increased car park usage/revenues.

• Examine trends in individual car parks to assess the relative effectiveness of different types of measure.