A CAR was stolen from a driveway in Bradford after the owner left the engine running to defrost the windscreen.

The owner had popped back into their house on Peel Park Drive when the theft happened.

Police are hunting a man who was seen in the area at the time of the offence, which happened on Sunday. He is described as white, between 5ft 10in and 6ft tall, aged in his late 20s and wearing a brown hooded top.

The car was found a short distance away, although the keys were missing.

Sgt Julie Murphy said: "You can reduce the opportunity for thieves to steal your vehicle by taking some basic crime prevention steps. Whenever you leave your vehicle, remove the ignition keys, close the windows and lock the doors, even if the vehicle will be unattended for a short time, such as when paying for petrol. Always engage the steering lock and never leave your vehicle unattended with the engine running to warm it up or to defrost the windows.

"These common-sense measures will deter opportunistic thieves and could prevent you from becoming a victim of crime."