POLICE are warning motorists to lock their cars after finding no fewer than 17 insecure vehicles in just two streets in a South Hams town.

Officers in Ivybridge have been warning people for months to secure their vehicles after a string of incidents where criminals swooped on unlocked cars.

But this week, undertaking a crime prevention operation, police were astonished to find 17 unlocked vehicles in a short space of time, in a small area of the town.

In an attempt to gauge the extent of the problem, officers from the Ivybridge Neighbourhood Team took to the streets and tried the doors of vehicles to see if they were locked. They were acting in response to the more than 60 thefts from insecure cars reported to them in the last 12 months.

The team informed all the vehicles’ owners, so they could lock them. Writing on the Ivybridge & Rural Police Facebook page, officers said: ’Let’s not be an easy target, please lock your vehicles and reduce crime in our area.’

Ivybridge neighbourhood beat manager PC Martin Perry said: ’We’ve been out and about making every effort to catch who’s responsible, but we have to look at crime prevention as well. So last night for the first time we thought we’d go out and try a few doors ourselves.

’I was absolutely amazed that we found 17 insecure cars - one of them even had the keys in the ignition. It’s unbelievable, and I’m actually amazed we haven’t had more crimes reported.

’It’s no wonder we’re having a spate of thefts when all these cars are being left unlocked.

’It’s mostly low value stuff, five pounds here and six pounds there, people’s car park change, but it all adds up.

’You could say, if the door’s locked they’d just smash a window.

’The problem is, the offence is going equipped for theft or burglary. We’ve actually stopped numerous people late at night who are seemingly up to no good, but of course you don’t need to carry any equipment with you to open an unlocked car door.

’We will continue to do this around the town, and will be returning to areas to see if there has been a reduction in the number of unlocked cars.’