DRIVERS are being warned to keep their car keys out of sight after a spate of 'unusual' break-ins in the Darwen area.

Police said today break-ins to steal car keys were on the increase. Four valuable vehicles have been stolen in the past month as a result of burglars breaking in searching for keys.

Det Sgt Paul Elms, of Darwen CID said: "We are concerned about the increase and this sort of unusual crime is now much more prevalent. Because cars are so secure now, offenders really need the keys to get in, especially with the more valuable vehicles.

"People don't expect that their house will be broken into for their keys and they often leave them in the hallway where they are easy to find. We want people to keep them in a drawer, or somewhere where no-one else could find them. It's worrying that the majority of these crimes occur in the night when the victims are sleeping."

A Mazda MX5 was stolen from a home in Thorncliffe Drive on April 16 and a BMW 3-series was stolen the night after from a home in Bolton Road. A house in Brookdale in Belmont was targeted on Tuesday when burglars tried to make their way in through a cat flap but eventually prized open a ground-floor window. The offenders fled without finding any car keys on that occasion.

Police believe the offence took place around 2am when the victims were asleep. A similar crime took place in Edgworth the week before.

DS Elms said: "A few years ago a 'hook and cane' method was used by criminals where they looked through the letterbox and could reach the keys by using a hook on the end of a bamboo shoot."

Anyone with any information about the car-key crimes should contact Darwen CID on 01254 353842.