POLICE in Newton Aycliffe are warning car owners not to leave their keys in easy reach of burglars.

The advice follows an incident in which two expensive vehicles were stolen from the drive of a house.

Burglars struck at a house in School Aycliffe early on Wednesday when they opened a window next to where keys were hanging.

They were then able to snag the keys and drag them through the window.

They stole a Jeep Cherokee, registration number NX51 GCV, and a Land Rover Defender, registration BG52 VZO, which together are valued at an estimated £30,000. Neither vehicle has been traced.

At about 4am yesterday, burglars pushed a metal pole through the letterbox of a house in Ashtree Close, Newton Aycliffe, in the hope of snaring the keys.

But the householder was woken by the noise and when he went downstairs to investigate the burglars fled, leaving the pole in the letterbox.

Detective Sergeant Lee Herridge said: "This tactic has been widely used before in other parts of County Durham and elsewhere in the North-East.

"We don't know whether these are the same criminals now operating in a different area or other crooks trying the same method.

"Either way, people should not leave their car keys in a place where they could be reached in this fashion."

Anyone with information is asked to telephone Newton Aycliffe police on (1325) 314401.