Car thefts prompt police to issue keys warning

Police say three incidents happened last Wednesday (November 9).

A Mercedes parked in Glen Sannox Drive, Craigmarloch was taken around 5am after a thief spied car keys and broke a window to retrieve them.

The owners were awoken by the sound of dogs barking but by this time, their car had been stolen.

Westerwood was the scene of another incident some 30 minutes later when an Audi A5 in Birkdale Crescent was targeted.

The owners in Birkdale Crescent were awoken by a noise outside their property – and were horrified to learn that their car had been taken.

A third incident saw a Ford Fiesta stolen from Blackwood’s Raith Drive after a thief spied its keys inside the house, sneaked in, sneaked out and raced off in the vehicle. The incident happened between 3.50pm and 11.50pm.

Sergeant Jacqueline Stuart from Cumbernauld Police Office said: “We are asking householders and car owners to be particularly vigilant at this time after houses were broken into and vehicles were stolen over the last few days.

The majority of incidents took place at night while householders were sleeping, and thieves removed car keys from places that were within easy reach of an external door.”

Police are urging locals to make sure house and car keys are kept in a spot inaccessible to thieves, and to make sure cars are locked and valuables such as sat nav devices removed from view.

Call Cumbernauld police on 503900 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if you can help with information regarding these thefts.