POLICE are warning car owners in Trawden to be on their guard following a spate of vehicle break-ins.

The warning comes after three cars were broken into and one was stolen from the area in the early hours of yesterday morning alone.

A CD player was stolen from a Citroen Saxo outside Oak Cottage, Slackbooth, and a CD player and CDs were taken from a Suzuki Grand Vitara, on Boulsworth Drive, and from a Isuzu Trooper parked on Foulds Terrace.

Around the same time a Honda Integra, worth £800, was stolen from Lambert Street and has not yet been recovered.

Four other break-ins in the Trawden area were reported in the week before this latest spate.

Police said one or two individuals were believed to be responsible for the thefts in which they were tampering with the locks to get into the cars.

Policing inspector for Colne and West Craven, Martin Holleran, urged motorists in the area to get their car fitted with an alarm.

He also advised people not to leave any possessions in their car and to take off the removable panel on the car stereo if it had one. He said: "They will search through the car and in particular the glove compartment, but what they are after is the stereo. If yours has a removable cover, remove it and take everything out of your vehicle."

Inspector Holleran said the thieves were coming into the village through the back lanes and people should be on the look out for any suspicious behaviour. A green G-registration Vauxhall Astra has been seen in suspicious circumstances in the area and they would like to hear from people who may have seen it.

He added that while Trawden had been the main focus for this kind of criminal activity the offenders had also recently targeted cars in Earby and Barnoldswick.

Anyone with information should contact the police on 01282 425001 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.