Thieves swipe luxury cars 
in crime spree

Three cars, worth in total around £100,000 have been stolen in just over a week.

The two Audis and a Range Rover were taken from driveways in Miller Drive and Smith Way overnight between Saturday April 4 and Sunday April 5.

In all three thefts thieves used poles with wire or magnets to swipe the car keys from the secure homes, known as “fishing”.

Police are investigating a link between the latest thefts and the recent high speed car crash in Menteith Avenue on Friday, March 20. Fake car registrations were found in the stolen vehicle, which smashed into the front of Alison and Raymond Timoney’s home.

Miraculously no one was injured and the car thieves managed to escape from the damaged vehicle and ran off.

A police spokesman said: “We are investigating a link between the latest thefts and the Menteith Avenue crash. Police are following a definite line of inquiry.

“The latest vehicles were stolen by thieves who overcame security in the houses involved by putting a pole through the letterbox and taking the car keys.

“They were unsuccessful in one attempt when the house owner heard them and saw the pole in the nick of time.

“We want to make people aware of this type of theft. Keep your car keys hidden from sight. Don’t give the thieves a chance.”

He added that one of the stolen vehicles had been recovered by dedicated police hit squad Operation Orion, set up to target this type of crime.