Police are warning car owners in the Ellesmere Port area to take care after a sharp rise in the theft of high value vehicles in the run up to Christmas.

Local police believe this to be an organised, systematic operation by criminals possibly travelling into the area from other locations.

The vehicles are being stolen from people’s driveways by criminals who are obtaining the keys and simply driving them away.

In many cases the keys are being taken from properties which are insecure or where the owners are out but the car is on the drive.

Det Chief Insp Giles Orton said: "We regularly warn people to be vigilant about this type of crime but at the moment it is particularly important to heed the messages.

"These criminals are driving around streets and estates looking for empty houses and trying the doors to see if they are locked.

"This is not just about leaving vehicles running on the drive with the door open. These criminals are targeting homes with valuable cars on the drive which appear to be unoccupied or where the doors are insecure.

"I would encourage everyone to make sure that their property is secure at all times. It is important to note that in many cases these criminals have gone to houses where the door is locked and simply left.

"Make sure your doors and windows are locked, leave a light on when you are out, even leave a radio on to give an impression that there is someone home."

You can ensure the security of your vehicle by following these simple precautions:

• Make sure your property is secure
• Leave lights on when you are going out to make it look like someone is in
• Never leave your car running and unattended even whilst ‘popping’ back into the house
• Never leave keys on display where thieves can see can see them, always keep them safe
• Keep your car in a garage if you can
• Where you can, park near to street lights or CCTV
• Ensure that any home security camera’s cover the area where your car is parked
• If your vehicle has an alarm always ensure it is active when unattended

Det Chief Insp Orton added: "Cheshire police will do everything we can to find these criminals, but we need the help of the community. We will not tolerate anyone coming into our county and making lives difficult for the people who live here.

"If you see anyone acting suspiciously in your area, perhaps a car with people in driving around aimlessly or people walking up to houses without knocking or trying to contact the owners I would encourage you to contact us.

"Likewise, if you have any information about the people committing these crimes contact us on 101 or to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."