A MERCEDES sports car valued at £37,000 was stolen from the driveway of a house in Whitworth.

Police received reports that the vehicle had been taken from the Tonnacliffe Road area during the early hours of Friday.

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Officers said the thief approached the house, broke a kitchen window, reached through and took the car keys which were visible on a work surface.

He then used the keys to drive the car away.

A short time earlier, the occupants of a house in the same neighbourhood were woken by their dog barking. They looked out and disturbed a man wearing a hoodie-type coat on the driveway. The man ran to a small silver car and drove away.

A police spokesman said: “Owners of high value cars are urged to keep car keys secure and out of sight and to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.”

Anybody with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.