CAR owners in North Swindon are being urged to stay vigilant following a series of car thefts in the area over the past three weeks.

The latest involved a car being taken from the driveway of a house in Standen Way at around 4am on Friday July 24.

The two suspects are believed to be linked to two other incidents, including one which happened earlier that night.

At around 3.30am, the two men were seen acting suspiciously around a vehicle in Ensor Close before being disturbed.

The third crime happened a week earlier on Friday July 17, where a car was stolen from outside a house in Garnet Crescent at around 3.30am.

PC Pedro Wiltshire said: “In cases like these, thieves manage to get in to and drive the vehicle off by using a transmitting device which mimics the keyless fob.

“We’d urge vehicle owners about being extra vigilant and aware of this type of crime and where they leave their keys overnight.

“These measures are all about preventing the opportunist thieves and are all fairly cheap and simple measures to stop an offenders.”

Anyone with information about these thefts should call 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Always call 999 in an emergency.

Police offered crime prevention advice to help drivers of vehicles with keyless fobs stop them being stolen.

• Put the key card/fob in a Faraday case/pouch to block any transmissions

• Park the vehicle in a locked garage

• Install a parking post/bollard on the driveway

• Use an additional steering lock

• If you have a second, non-keyless vehicle, park that behind the high value one

• Check if your keyless fobs can be switched off

• Check with your car dealership as they can offer advice and the manufacturer/dealer can often track the vehicle if it is stolen.

• If the vehicle is a company car, check with your fleet managers who can offer crime prevention and tracking advice.