Opportunist thieves have left motorists thousands of pounds out of pocket after a series of thefts.

Police have reiterated their pleas for drivers to be more vigilant following the spate of thefts in Darlington yesterday and over the weekend.

Cars, stereos and CD players were stolen, despite recent campaigns encouraging the public to help themselves by improving security.

The crimes began on Saturday when a Vauxhall Cavalier was stolen from the town hall car park between 8.45am and 1pm.

Just down the road, in the bus station area, a JVC radio and cassette player were taken after thieves broke into a Honda Accord, sometime between 9.45am and 3.30pm.

A CD player was stolen from a car parked in Beaumont Street between 2.25pm and 5.40pm.

A Nissan Primera radio cassette player was stolen in Bondgate and a Yamaha motorbike taken from Barningham Street in the same afternoon.

On Sunday morning, a CD changer was grabbed from a Nissan Micra near St John's Church, in Neasham Road.

Yesterday a car stereo was stolen from a vehicle in Mary Court.

Police and neighbourhood wardens have been working closely together this year in an attempt to stamp out the problem.

Initiatives such as Operation Hawkeye were launched, with police writing to the owners of cars which had property left on display.

But the scheme does not appear to be paying dividends and thieves are also targeting homes throughout Darlington.

Inspector Dennis Dixon said: "We are having a spate of calls about pedal cycles being stolen from garden sheds.

"They're getting to be popular items. When you consider they are worth hundreds of pounds, they can't just be protected by a cheap lock."