Car owners warned after thief is spotted breaking into vehicle on Castleford street

The thief was spotted on several cameras on Toll Bar Road shortly before 5am on Tuesday, December 11, getting into a Citroen C3.

The car belongs to the partner of resident Matthew Smyth, who explained: "My son had been to the car to get his phone and had left it open.

"I've been telling everybody on the street to make sure their vehicles are locked after this."

The thief, dressed in light-coloured tracksuit bottoms a hooded jacket and gloves, is first seen walking along the road with no hood, but when he approached the Citroen has placed the hood up and covered his face.

He then gets into the car and spends about a minute searching around before he is eventually frightened off after a neighbour spots him.

Mr Smyth said: "He didn't get anything, he had a good rummage around - the glove box was left open and the bags in the back had been emptied.

"The neighbour four doors up was going to work and he saw someone in the car and at first thought it was me. He then realised it wasn't me and shouted at him, that's why he ran off.

"Supposedly there's been about five or six within a half-a-mile radius of here."

Anyone who recognises the thief is being asked to call police on 101.

During the winter months police officers regularly carry out patrols to check if parked vehicles are locked.

They say many thieves are unsophisticated opportunists who will simply walk the streets looking for unlocked cars.