A SPATE of car break-ins across the district could have been prevented if owners had been more careful about securing their vehicles, police have said. In three incidents, which officers believe were committed by the same criminals, cars which had been le

A SPATE of car break-ins across the district could have been prevented if owners had been more careful about securing their vehicles, police have said.

In three incidents, which officers believe were committed by the same criminals, cars which had been left unlocked in Thaxted were raided early on Friday morning.

Between 3am and 3.30am a red Toyota van and a Nissan Navara, both parked on Bardfield Road, were searched by thieves who stole a total of �100 cash and a sat nav worth �200.

And in Stansted at just after midnight on Friday an insecure Renault Espace was also entered and searched, but nothing was stolen.

In a connected incident which occurred on same night thieves gained entry to a convertible Suzuki Vitara on Park Street in Thaxted by cutting the soft-top roof, causing more than �2000 worth of damage. A steering wheel worth �200 was stolen.

In two separate incidents which happened on Park Street overnight last Thursday, a �200 sat nav was stolen from an unlocked silver Ford Focus and an unlocked red Vauxhall Zafria was searched but had nothing stolen.

Also in Thaxted on the same evening, a black Mitsubishi Shogun, parked on Star Mead, was entered but nothing was stolen.

Sgt Lindsay Beckman from Saffron Walden Police Station said: "We would like to remind all motorists to make sure their vehicles are left secure when not in use.

"We would also like to remind people that if they see a crime taking place then they should ring the police immediately on 999. We have had some cases where members of the public have seen cars being broken into, but not notified us until much later.

"We need to know about a crime as soon as possible to give us more chance of catching the culprits before they have the chance to commit another offence."

* THREE 19-year-old males were arrested on suspicion of theft from a motor vehicle in Thaxted in the early hours of Friday morning.

The men, who are from Saffron Walden, Ashdon and Widdington, have been bailed to Braintree Police Station on March 1 pending further enquiries.