Police in Henleaze and Westbury-on-Trym are offering advice to vehicle-owners after a slight increase in thefts of and from vehicles in the area.

Over the last couple of months there have been nearly 30 incidents of criminal damage and theft.

Police say they have one suspect, but no one has been prosecuted and inquiries are continuing.

PCSO Tony Hughes said: "There has been a slight increase in thefts of and from vehicles in Henleaze and Westbury-on-Trym in the last couple of months – but we are only talking a handful of incidents.

"There is plenty you can do to try to avoid being the next victim of this type of crime.

"The local beat officers are going to make sure that high-visibility patrols are conducted daily to target offenders and reduce the opportunities for people to offend."

His tips for keeping your car safe and secure are:

Lock the doors and close the windows and sun roof when you leave your car for any length of time.

Don't leave anything on display. Remove satellite navigation devices where possible, including the support cradle and suction pad. Remember to wipe away any suction pad marks on the windscreen or dashboard. Remove the stereo if you can.

Tuck in wing mirrors and put the aerial down to discourage vandals.

Never store your car's documents in the car.

A Thatcham-compliant immobiliser or steering lock can help secure older vehicles.

Think about having the windows etched with the car's registration number or the last seven digits of the vehicle identification number (VIN).

Keep your keys out of sight, even in your house.

To keep your motorbike safe:

Always lock your bike and set the alarm if it has one.

When leaving your bike for some time, try to lock it to something secure. If no ground anchors are available, bring this to the attention of your local authority.

At home you can fit special attachments to lock your bike.