Say yes to cheaper van, home and car insurance

Motorists are being advised not to leave their vehicles unattended when they turn their engines on to defrost their cars first thing in the morning.

Police in Bolton told a local newspaper that leaving the defrosting cars unattended could provide an invite to any opportunist thieves hanging around to come and steal items or even steal the car itself.

A police spokesman told the Bolton News: "It can be tempting to leave the engine running on a frosty morning while you do other things. The simple way to ensure you car is not stolen in this time is to stay with it."

Elsewhere, in Chorley detectives are investigating a spate of car crimes after 19 cars were broken into in one village on the same day.

The detectives believe the thieves could well have been expecting a frost and with it, the opportunity to steal the cars while their owners left them defrosting, but the expected frost did not arrive so the thieves stole what they could.

Inspector Jo South, of Chorley Police, told the Chorley Citizen: "Officers have been carrying out extra patrols in the area to reassure members of the public and gather information as well as re-emphasising the message of not leaving anything on show in cars."

Motorists worried that opportunist thieves might be operating in their area should lock all valuables away and make sure they have a suitable car insurance policy.