Handbags stolen from parked car

The front door window was shmashed during the incident at around 5pm and the handbags, and their contents, were taken.

A police spokesperson warned motorists to take all precautions to avoid this type of theft.

“Police continue to remind motorists to ensure they take the proper steps to ensure their vehicles are secure,” said the spokesperson.

“Cars should always be locked and all valuables should be removed. Leaving valuables, such as your handbag, wallet, CD player, laptop or phone on view in your vehicle is like an open invitation to opportunist thieves.

“If they see something valuable on view, they will simply break the window to get it. You only have to leave your vehicle for a short time for a thief to act.

“By taking simple precautions such as locking valuable items in the boot of your car, or removing the face plate from your in-car stereo system you can help ensure that your valuables will be kept safe. Taking just a few moments can significantly improve your chances of not becoming a victim of this type of crime. Improved car security features such as alarms, immobilisers and tracking devices can also help protect your vehicle and your valuables.

“As it only takes a matter of seconds to break into a car, we would also urge the public to promptly report all suspicious activity they notice near vehicles, or car alarms that have been activated, as this will help to deter and help us to detect those involved in this type of crime.

“Any group who requires further advice or assistance should contact police in Banbridge on 0845 600 8000.”

Police have appealed for information on the latest incident.