Three people seen trying car doors on Hayes driveways in early hours
Security camera footage shows one person searching an unlocked car with a torch while two others appear to keep watch, at about 4.20am on Saturday 31 October.
Residents in Hayes are being urged to check their cars and home security cameras after footage showed three people going from driveway to driveway in the early hours of Saturday 31 October, trying car doors.
The CCTV footage, shared with UB1UB2, is timestamped 4.20am. It shows the group on a residential street in Hayes, where several cars were parked on driveways and along the road.
The Metropolitan Police have not confirmed the incident, and it is not known whether anything was taken or whether it has been reported to police.
What the footage shows
In the footage, two of the group appear to stay near a gate pillar and the pavement while the third goes up to a car on the driveway and tries the driver's door, which opens.
He then gets into the car and appears to search the glovebox and centre console with a torch for more than a minute.
He then walks off towards the next house, leaving the car door open with the interior light still on. The footage suggests the group were trying other cars on the same road.
Residents nearby are being asked to check their own cameras from about 4am that morning and to make sure nothing is missing from their vehicles. Footage from several homes can help police work out which way people went and build a clearer picture of what happened.
How to protect your car
The Metropolitan Police's standard advice on vehicle crime is to lock your car every time you leave it, even for a short while, and to close all windows and sunroofs.
The force also advises never leaving valuables, bags, phones, sat-navs or loose change on show, and taking them out of the car overnight where you can. Thieves who try door handles are often looking for an easy chance, and an unlocked car with items left inside is the main thing they hope to find.
For cars with keyless entry, police recommend keeping keys away from front doors and windows at home, and storing keyless fobs in a signal-blocking pouch so the signal cannot be relayed.
Residents with doorbell or driveway cameras are advised to keep the footage from any suspicious activity, as it may be useful to police if a crime is reported.
Reporting it
Anyone who has had items stolen from their car, or who has footage of the group, can report it to the police online or by calling 101. In an emergency, or if a crime is happening, call 999.
Information can also be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.