There were two thefts from motor vehicles in the Hillfoots recently.

Overnight Monday-Tuesday (3-4 August) in Alva, an Audi’s built in hands free kit was stolen from the unsecured car.

Then the next evening, overnight Wednesday-Thursday (5-6 August), an Apple iPhone 4 was stolen from another vehicle that was not locked.

Police Scotland is urging people to check that they have locked their motors when leaving them unattended.

A statement said: “Thefts from cars are often committed spontaneously and the current trend seems to be thefts from [unsecured] cars by people on foot at night.

“As a result of thieves targeting [unsecured] cars in particular, where there is often very little noise made, it enables the theft to be completed in seconds, giving police little chance to catch those in the act.

“We would urge motorists to make sure their vehicle is locked when leaving it unattended. If you are going to use the remote central locking then we advise that you check the handle to make sure it is secure.

“It is also a good idea to remove any valuables from your car or keep them out of sight, as they will appeal particularly to an opportunist thief who may just be walking past.”