THIEVES have been on a spree in Beechwood, Lliswerry and Alway breaking into vehicles to take power tools, spare wheels and car parts.

In the last month, people reported 46 thefts from cars, with items such as power tools, spare wheels and car parts being taken away.

Beechwood’s tally was 10, in Lliswerry there were nine and in Alway eight, with other thefts taking place in the area covered by Maindee and Alway policing teams.

Inspector Kevin Warren said: “We are asking all drivers to be extra vigilant and report anything suspicious at all that they see in their local area. Our advice is to remove whenever possible expensive power tools and kit from vehicles at the end of the day and to always make sure you lock your van or car securely.

“Never leave any valuables on display – that’s like an open invitation to a thief. We’d also recommend property marking your valuables so that if the worst happens and they are stolen, they can be traced back to you.”

Officers are also told people to make sure they take valuables with you when they leave their cars – but if this isn’t possible, hide them from view in the boot.

A spokesman added: “Remove all possessions, even things that you don’t think are valuable – thieves will smash your car window for a few coins or your old CD collection.”

They also advised taking the front cover from car stereos if possible if said it was a good idea to write postcodes on valuables using a ultra violet pen. And they said people should photograph valuable items, especially electrical equipment, so that they can be easily identified in case they are stolen.

If you have any information about suspicious people or vehicles in your community, please call 101 and if you think a crime is taking place, dial 999. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.