Victim's warning over letterbox car theft

1:04pm Tuesday 1st July 2008

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A MOTHER-of-four has issued a heartfelt warning to drivers after thieves stole two family cars by using a branch to draw keys through her letterbox.

Lara and Matthew Hunt, of Wooburn Mead, Wooburn Green awoke yesterday morning to find her green Chrysler Grand Voyager and his limited edition blue and grey Mini Cooper gone.

During the night, thieves used a large stick, smoothed and tapered like a snooker cue, to take two sets of keys from the top of cabinet in the hallway several feet from the front door and drove the vehicles away.

Car seats, buggies and children's toys were in the cars at the time, and the couple are now struggling to ferry their four children to school and nursery.

Lara, said: "I'm heartbroken. That's £50,000 worth of cars, they also took my daughter's toy and my son's cherished Pokemon collection which he trades at school and those are irreplaceable."

Matthew, a marketing manager, knew the cars were outside when he went to be at around midnight, but when they awoke at 7am yesterday morning, the driveway was empty.

The thieves had also tried to gain access to the house with Lara's front door key, but it was double bolted from the inside.

She said: "We were so confused. We couldn't work out where the cars were and Matthew was thinking through what he had done the night before - where he had parked them.

"Then we opened the front door and found the stick, my key still in the top lock and wood splinters in the letterbox."

The couple were so shocked at how they had been caught out that they tried themselves to use to the stick to pick up keys from the cabinet surface.

Lara said: "It's incredibly difficult - they were very clever."

She added: "I feel like we were very naive to leave the keys there, but it's what everyone does.

"Now I'm telling everyone I know to keep their keys, and any other valuables hidden away, especially if you have a glass front door."

The Voyager's registration number is RO56 GVW and the Mini had the number plate HY56 HLZ.

Anyone who sees the cars is can call PC Caroline Timmis on 08458 505 505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.