THREE offenders were disturbed breaking into a Ford Transit van on Station Street in Bishops Castle at 3am on August 5, during another spate of thefts from motor vehicles in the town, police reported this week.

No tools were stolen from this vehicle but an Astra at the same address was entered and a phone was stolen.

A Ford Transit parked on Harley Jenkins Street was also entered into the same night and more than £600 worth of Makita tools were tools stolen.

On the same night in Diddlebury a wallet was stolen from a Ford Mondeo. Bank cards from this wallet were used in Dudley after the offence. A male has been arrested for this offence and enquiries are ongoing.

Police continue to target these travelling criminal gangs coming into our area through Operature Vulture with five males suspected of being involved in local thefts having been arrested in June during the operation.

"Where possible please consider removing tools from vans overnight, gives the thieves nothing to steal. Also consider fitting better locks for extra security, the factory fitted Transit locks are vulnerable and easily bypassed by offenders, although that's not to say other manufacturers have vans that are 100percent secure," said a spokesman.