POLICE in Droitwich have issued a warning to drivers after a number of residents on the Primsland Estate, Chawson Estate and closer to Droitwich town centre have fallen victim to car crime over the past week.

Between June 23 and 25, eight different vehicles were targeted around the town with items stolen.

Sgt Sarah Kent from the Droitwich Safer Neighbourhood Team, issued a warning to motorists, saying: “90-95 per cent of the vehicles involved are unsecured or have no obvious signs of damage. Please do not leave anything on display.”

Members of the Safer Neighbourhood Team have been out on patrol around Droitwich over the past few weeks, testing door handles on cars, and warning residents if they have left their vehicles open on driveways.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: “We would like to remind residents that most vehicle crime is opportunistic and often occurs as a result of a vehicle being left vulnerable or unsecured. Please ensure that all valuables are removed when your vehicle is left parked and unattended irrespective of whether they are parked on your driveway, in a car park or on the roadside. Consider property marking or registering valuables on immobilise.com which is a free property register.”

In the east and south of Droitwich, Geoffrey Chaucer Walk was targeted twice overnight, with one car broken into at some point between 5.30pm on Tuesday, June 23, and 8.15am on Wednesday, June 24, and a second broken into between 8pm and midnight on June 23. A sat nav and cable were stolen from one car, with an black iPod, iPod earphones, a small black purse and loose change stolen from the other.

Two vehicles were broken into on Charlotte Bronte Drive at some point between 5.30pm on June 23 and 8.30am on June 24, with a TomTom sat vav and Blackberry mobile phone taken from the first car, and a pair of binoculars and an iPhone charger stolen from the second.

Elsewhere around Droitwich over the same night, cars were broken into on St Joseph’s Close, Charles Dickens Close, Acre Lane and the Parklands, with items stolen including a Garmin Satnav and cables, a dog blanket, a pair of Jaeger sunglasses, several pairs of unbranded sunglasses, coin purses and cash, a Berghaus coat, and leather gloves.

The vehicle broken into on Acre Lane had the fuel cap forced open, and half a tank of diesel stolen.

Motorists are asked to check their vehicle to ensure the doors and windows are left locked, keys are not left in the ignition, no personal belongings such as handbags or laptops are left on display, sat navs and holder aren’t left in the vehicle, and that the vehicle is parked in a well lit area.

Anyone with information regarding any of the incidents, is asked to call the police non-emergency number 101 quoting reference 0267/S/240615 or alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.