CAR thieves have struck seven times in less than two weeks.

The incidents happened across the district starting on February 14. In most incidents the offenders were unable to steal a vehicle but took valuable items instead.

Between Monday, February 14 and Saturday, February 19 A red Audi TT was stolen from a car park near Sharpness Docks. It was later found by police burnt out at the top of Crawley Hill, Uley.

On Tuesday, February 15, between 12.45pm and 2pm, a maroon Renault Clio was broken into while it was parked on the Dursley to Uley road. The CD player and radio were stolen.

On the same day a dark green VW Polo parked in Rackfield car park, Dursley, was also broken into and had the CD player stolen.

Between 5.30pm on Friday, February 18 and noon the following day a CD player was stolen from a gold Citroen Saxo parked in Oldminster Road, Sharpness.

At around the same time and in the same location a CD player, valued at £350, was stolen from a black Fiat Punto.

On Monday a Ford Mondeo parked at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Berkeley Road, was broken into and had a zip-up bag containing clothes and tablets stolen. Later in the evening another Ford Mondeo parked at Rednock School, Dursley, was broken into and had a Toshiba Satellite laptop computer, worth £800, and black briefcase stolen from the boot. The computer had the security code 7850 marked on the top.

Sgt Alex Lattimore, of Dursley police, said: "Although there has been a recent spate of vehicle crime it is 30 percent lower than at the same point last year.

"We would urge members of the public to always lock their vehicles and to hide their valuables out of sight or preferably remove them all together."

Anyone with information on any of the crimes is asked to call Gloucestershire Police on 0845 090 1234 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.