CAR thefts increased last year in Gwent according to the latest police recorded crime figures, likely propelled by an increase in keyless cars.

The trend has led vehicle manufacturers to demand tighter controls on the "open sale" of equipment used by criminals to steal cars.

Between April 2017 and March 2018, 814 vehicles were stolen, data from the Home Office reveals.

That is an increase of 12 per cent on one year earlier, when 727 thefts were recorded.

That means, in Gwent, 14 vehicles were stolen for every 10,000 residents in the area.

Car thefts are on the up in England and Wales, increasing by 15 per cent since 2016-17, and 40 per cent over the last five years.

Police and motoring campaigners have said this is probably due to a rise in keyless car thefts.

Nationally, about 70 per cent of vehicle-related thefts occurred at home and during the evening or night.

In Gwent there were 63 cases of aggravated robbery - for driving the stolen vehicle dangerously on the road or causing an accident.

Police also recorded 2,079 incidents related to thefts from vehicles, either of personal belongings, radios or other items.

That is a decrease of 8.7 per cent from the previous year.