LUXURY car owners are being urged to tighten security after vehicles worth tens of thousands of pounds were stolen from outside homes in Southampton.

Car thieves targeted owners of high performance Mercedes cars, stealing two within the space of hours.

A grey Mercedes E-Class was taken from a property in Bassett Heath Avenue after burglars broke into the house, stealing the car keys and driving it away.

Similarly a Black Mercedes E-class sport was taken in the same way from outside a home in Glen Eyre Road.

When bought new the cars would be worth in the region of £50,000 each.

Thieves also took golfing equipment, a Yonex set of clubs and electric golf trolley from the house at Bassett Heath Road, but police believe their main target was the car.

Both thefts happened overnight on Saturday.

The thieves struck there sometime between midnight and 6.30am. Neither the cars nor the property have so far been recovered.

As a result officers are urging owners of expensive cars to be on their guard and consider tightening security.

Helen Ward: “Whilst we do not want to cause alarm we would urge owners of high performance cars to consider increasing their security.

“For example using garages where available or if not park the car in such a way as to make access difficult by parking other cars across drives or around the vehicle itself.”

Officers are appealing for anyone with information about the car thefts to contact PC Simon Bradshaw at the Priority Crime Unit at Hampshire police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.