THIEVES took a grey Ford Fiesta, laptop and cash during an early morning burglary.

The car was stolen from a property on Kings Road, West Park after 1am on Saturday, August 10, but the owners only made the discovery later that morning.

The offenders had forced entry through a rear door to take the items and the keys to the car which they then drove away.

The car was recovered on Sunday on Dennett Broad, Prescot and is being forensically examined by police.

Detective Inspector Tony O'Brien said: "We know the impact that burglaries can have on victims, and I want to reassure the community that we are working to identify the people responsible.

"Sadly, offenders will look to target insecure houses in the summer months as people are more inclined to leave doors and windows open. I would urge residents to ensure their houses are as secure as possible.

“Check your front doors, windows and garage doors to prevent becoming easy targets, and leave any keys safely out of sight. Once you get into the habit of doing a quick check it doesn't take much time and can save you a lot of distress in the long run.

"If you have a garage use it, or if you park on a driveway ensure you close your gates at night and consider putting an obstruction such as your wheelie bin in front of your vehicle.

"If possible use a steering wheel lock on your vehicle – anything that makes life more difficult for would-be thieves and prevents them from making a fast getaway will reduce your risk of being targeted.

"If you see anyone acting suspiciously in your community, report it to the police. These offenders will need to walk up driveways to look through doors and windows to see if there are keys in sight of a door or window. If you notice any such behaviour contact the police on 101 or in an emergency dial 999."

Neighbours on nearby Grosvenor Road have reported that their vehicles were also targetted by offenders on Saturday night.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Merseyside Police social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police CC. You can also call 101 quoting incident reference 19100443491 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.