RESIDENTS are being warned after thieves carried out a spate of car break-ins using a 'signal jammer'.

The device works by interrupting signals from key fobs, meaning that motorists think their car is locked when it is not and thieves can then easily access the vehicle.

David Brannigan lives on Somerton Road, in Breightmet, and on Wednesday morning found that a number of items had been taken from his car.

His phone charger, CDs and sunglasses had all been stolen as well as his work laptop, estimated to be worth around £2,000.

Mr Brannigan, aged 45, was convinced that he had locked his vehicle when he got home from work on Tuesday and there was no sign of forced entry to the car.

He rang the police to report the theft on Wednesday morning was told that a number of similar incidents had been reported.

Throughout the day he spoke to three neighbours, who all live in the Somerton estate, whose cars had also had items stolen from them with no sign of a physical break-in.

When he took his car to the dealership to get his locks changed, they told him that his key was unique to him and it was unlikely it had been cloned and a signal jammer was the most likely explanation for what had happened.

Low-powered jammers can have a range of around 75 metres meaning thieves can target a number of vehicles at once, leaving them vulnerable.

Mr Brannigan said: "My work laptop which I never leave in the car was in there. The police said there had been several phone calls that morning from the same postcode area reporting thefts from other cars.

"The car hasn't locked and they come later and take everything. I always make sure I lock my stuff.

"The irony of it is that I have never left the laptop in the car before."

Mr Brannigan added that when he went to make sure all the house doors were locked on Tuesday evening he checked to make sure the car was locked so the thieves must have struck between him getting home and going to bed.

One of his neighbours he spoke to had found paper all over the street and when she looked she discovered it was her paper that had been inside the car at the time.

Another neighbour had an iPad in her vehicle that she left in the back for her children to play with and this was also taken.

Mr Brannigan found his coat that had been in the car at the time down a nearby alley on Wednesday.

He said: "I just want to be aware. If people are aware they might check that their car is locked.

"It is just frustrating."

A police spokesman confirmed that at 6.40am on Wednesday it received a report of a theft from a car parked in Somerton Road.

Offenders went up to a car and entered by unknown means and stolen a number of items.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.