A DRIVER whose car was broken into at a service station has called for more CCTV on site.

Tony Forrester fell victim to thieves at the Welcome Break services near Oxford, who used a jamming device to intercept the lock function.

He said police told him they suspect a group of thieves has been operating at services along the motorway, with thefts reported to them regularly.

The week before last, police warned of a spate of car break-ins at Cherwell Valley Services near Bicester, and also said a jamming device had been used to gain access.

READ AGAIN: Thefts from cars at Cherwell Valley Services on M40

Sales manager Mr Forrester was driving home to Walsall from a meeting in Slough, and stopped to use the facilities at Junction 8A, at about 5pm on August 22.

The 58-year-old said: "I nipped in there and went to buy myself a lottery ticket, and realised my wallet wasn't there - I'd left it in the car."

Having returned to retrieved his wallet moments later, he found that both his bag and wallet were missing from his blue Hyundai i40. 

Mr Forrester said did not have suspicions at that point as the thieves had locked the car door, so he had no reason to think there had been a break-in.

Instead he assumed he had left his valuables in Slough, and drove all the way back only to see CCTV which clearly showed him putting his bag in his car.

Realising then that he had been the victim of theft, he returned to the services, but the culprits were nowhere to be found.

ALSO READ: More than 28 motorists report thefts from cars at service station

They stole a laptop with photos of his five grandsons on, from a recent family holiday, his wallet and a bag.

He said: "That's what they do - you start driving home and it's only when you get there that you realise, and then they're long-gone.

"I went back to the services and asked for CCTV, and they told me they didn't have any [in the car park]. I've emailed Welcome Break, saying you're putting customers' safety and security at risk by not having CCTV.

"I went into [WH]Smiths to ask if there was any security or police on site, and they said no but a lady had come in a couple of hours before after the same thing happened to her."

He said the loss of the photos was the most upsetting part, adding: "My laptop is falling apart, it's worth nothing."

Welcome Break declined to comment when asked about the apparent lack of CCTV.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman confirmed that a car break-in had been reported at Welcome Break that day.