THIEVES are breaking into cars for just spare change, police have warned.

A series of raids on vehicles have been reported across the past week.

There are particular problems in Sandford, Wareham, with reports of thefts from cars parked in Filleul Road, Gore Hill and Woodlands Drive.

An officer from Purbeck police said: "Please ensure that you remove all valuables, bags, satnavs and anything else from cars and vans and make sure they are locked when unattended.

"Unfortunately this is a message we have to repeat every so often."

Works vans are particularly vulnerable. Two Dewalt drills and some circular saws were taken from a van parked on the driveway of a home in Totmel Road, Canford Heath, sometime between 8pm on Thursday, November 21 and 5.10am on Friday, November 22.

However, thieves are even targeting cars for smaller and less valuable items.

Loose change was taken from a car parked in Albert Road, Newtown on Tuesday, November 19.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via dorset.police.uk