Car owners have been warned not to fall prey to a sneaky tactic used by car thieves this winter.
Wirral Police posted on their Facebook page this morning to warn motorists about the tactic and said insurance companies may not pay out if people fall victim to it.
The force said every winter cars are stolen from outside people's houses by thieves waiting for owners to leave them unattended with the keys in the ignition and the engine running to defrost the windscreen.
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A spokesperson for the force posted: "Some victims nip inside for a few seconds to collect a bag or finish the last mouthful of coffee - but that's all the time an opportunistic thief needs.
"Insurance companies may not pay out for vehicles stolen in this way, and if your house keys are stolen as well, you’re making your house vulnerable too."
Instead of leaving the engine running unattended, police advised motorists to clear their windscreens with de-icer and a scraper, or to sit in the vehicle while the heater de-mists the window.
The Financial Ombudsman website says "insurance policies may contain exclusion clauses which mean customers aren’t covered if they left the keys in or around the vehicle."
Adding, this is something customers making a claim on their stolen car are not always aware of.
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