A POLICE Sergeant has urged motorists to make sure they leave their vehicles secure.

The warning comes from Alison Sharp, community safety Sergeant for Flintshire and Wrexham.

She told the Leader there has been an ongoing issue with thefts from cars and vans across both counties.

But in a number of cases, she explained, the vehicles were found to have been left unlocked by the owners.

Sgt Sharp explained: "We're trying to get the message out that people need to be more careful.

"We have seen thefts of power tools from vans and in the last week we have had four thefts from unsecure cars in the Mold and Buckley areas.

"It could be opportunists or even kids - the items stolen included small change, a hand bag, a coat and a sports bag, which were located nearby."

North Wales Police offers a range of safety tips on its website.

These include never leaving anything on display in the vehicle, removing all belongings when leaving it, marking items such as CD players and closing all windows, as well as ensuring all doors are locked.

For more information, visit the force's vehicle safety page.