A NUMBER of unattended cars across Gwent were stolen yesterday morning while their owners left engines running to help defrost windows.

Three cars – two in Rogerstone and one in the Allt-Yr-Yn neighbourhood of Newport – were taken by "opportunist" thieves while left unattended.

Two of the vehicles have since been recovered, and on Wednesday afternoon three arrests were made.

Following the thefts, Gwent Police inspector Jason Williams warned motorists to be vigilant.

"You may be warming the car up for yourself, but you're also warming it up for an opportunist thief," he said.

"If you're defrosting your car, don't leave it. Try not to walk away, even if you have a keyless car, and keep your valuables out of sight."

In Rogerstone, a grey Audi A4 was stolen at approximately 7am from a driveway on Oak Tree Drive while its engine was still running. The car was later recovered in the Tregwilym Road area of Rogerstone.

Then, at approximately 7.20am, a blue BMW was taken from a driveway in Spitfire Road, Rogerstone. It, too, had been left unattended with its engine running.

The car was recovered in Wern Terrace, Rogerstone, at approximately 12.35pm.

And in Allt-Yr-Yn, a silver Volkswagen Golf was taken from a driveway on Field Park Road at approximately 8.50am. The car's keys were stolen from the property, which had been left unlocked.

Despite the series of similar incidents, inspector Williams said he did not want to frighten people, adding that the thefts were "not an epidemic" but simply a case of thieves taking advantage of people "in a rush" in the mornings.

He said every police officer in the vicinity had been mobilised following reports of the thefts, and that this had contributed to the prompt recovery of two of the three stolen cars.

Insepctor Williams also said a partnership between officers working in the eastern and western areas of Newport was also tackling a series of recent burglaries in the Rogerstone area, in which thieves had broken into homes and stolen car keys for "expensive, high-powered vehicles".

Officers had successfully recovered many of the stolen vehicles, including a Porsche, he said. Several arrests have been made in connection with the burglaries, and a dedicated team continues to investigate.

Inspector Williams advised car owners to keep their homes secured and to keep their keys in a safe place within their homes.

*Were you one of those people to have your car stolen? Tell us about your ordeal by calling 01633 777217 or emailing newsdesk@southwalesargus.co.uk*