MOTORISTS are being urged to make sure their car keys are in a secure place even when at home.

The warning from police in Ramsbottom follows a spate of car thefts in which thieves have gone "fishing" for car keys left in hallways.

The thieves use a pole with a hook attached. they push the pole through letter boxes to hook the keys left on tables.

Inspector Steve Clark, head of Ramsbottom and Tottington Township Police, said: "Ramsbottom and Tottington areas seem to be suffering more than any other in the division from this scam.

" In May there were ten incidents of this type of theft and six of those happened in the Ramsbottom and Tottington areas."

He added: "Car security is so good today that the only way of stealing cars is to either tow it away or get the keys.

"What thieves are doing is using a fishing rod or pole with a hook and putting it through letter boxes to pick up the keys.

"I would ask all drivers to move their keys from the hallway and put them in a safe place."

Speaking at the latest meeeting of Ramsbottom and Tottington Area Board, Inspector Clark reported that calls relating to youths causing annoyance had fallen by 25 per cent in the past three months compared with the same period last year.

In 20001, officers attended 224 youth-related incidents as against 166 this year.

"The situation in Laurel Street, Tottington especially is greatly improved," said Inspector Clark.

With the summer holidays just weeks away, Ramsbottom police are looking at ways to tackle youngsters taking motorbikes on to the Kirklees Trail near Sunnywood Drive in Tottington.