VIDEO: Warning after car thieves caught on camera near Preston hospital

Colin Sinnott installed a camera outside his Fulwood home, after reports of thefts from cars close to Royal Preston Hospital.

He captured a video of his car being targeted, with the film viewed 80,000 times and shared more than 3,000 times on Facebook.

Police are now warning drivers to be vigilant, to prevent their vehicles becoming an “easy target”.

Dad-of-four Colin, 51, installed the CCTV camera outside his home after he says he saw vandals trying to “cut the exhaust off a neighbour’s van”.

He said: “My girlfriend went to her car and realised someone had been in it.

“We went to check the CCTV and got the pictures of two lads going down the drive.

“I asked the neighbours if any others had been done, and they had.”

Colin Sinnott, whose car was targeted by thieves in Fulwood

About £20 in cash was taken from Colin’s Toyota, and the boxing coach said: “I wasn’t too bothered about myself, but the neighbours were really upset. It’s been going on for a long time – we had our car broken into last year but we didn’t do anything.

“It’s obviously happening quite regularly - I would say most nights.”

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “It takes a few seconds to steal from a vehicle and many of these crimes are from unlocked vehicles so we would urge people to make sure their vehicle is locked at all times.

“We would also urge people to make sure items are not left on display and do not leave spare keys or sat navs in your vehicle, even in the glove box.

“Wherever possible it is also a good idea to park in will lit areas where vehicles can be well seen.

“Vehicle crime is an occupation for some people and we’d urge motorists to follow the crime prevention advice to make sure their vehicle is not an easy target.”

Police confirmed they were contacted following the break-in, and urged anyone with information to contact officers, quoting reference SA1612497.