17 Cars Stolen from Cruise Ship Parking Lot Over Weekend

For most people, a cruise vacation is a chance to get away from it all and just relax.  But for more than a dozen cruise passengers, their actual vehicle was the thing that got away.

According to news reports, a major car heist unfolded over the weekend of September 9-10, when 17 vehicles were stolen from a secure parking facility used for cruise travelers in Southampton, one of the UK’s busiest cruise ports.

Southampton Cruise Parking Services, located on First Avenue in Millbrook, offers parking for those embarking on cruises from the city, but this incident has caused some to question the facility’s security.

Despite advertised security measures such as 24-hour CCTV surveillance, onsite patrols, secure fencing, and prominent risk disclaimers, the car thieves carried out what appears to be a highly organized theft.

How they managed to bypass these layers of security remains unclear, raising concerns among authorities and the public.

Southampton is a key cruise port for several major cruise lines popular with American travelers including Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Cunard, and P&O Cruises. These cruise lines offer a variety of itineraries sailing from Southampton to destinations like the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the British Isles, and even transatlantic crossings to the U.S.

These cruises often have a duration from one to two weeks, bringing thousands of cruisers who rely heavily on secure parking as they sail from Southampton.

Police have urged anyone with information to contact them or provide anonymous tips via Crimestoppers. Vehicle owners who parked at the facility during the weekend of the thefts are encouraged to report any information immediately.

Southampton Cruise Parking Services has yet to issue a statement but faces a lot of questions as this case puts a spotlight on their security.

The ongoing investigation may lead to other cruise ports raising their standards of security as well.

As of now, no arrests have been announced, and police have not released details on how the thieves were able to bypass the facility’s security.