Two young men who tried to flee from police after they stole a Range Rover in Epsom have been arrested.

Police were called shortly before 2am yesterday morning (January 31) after the vehicle was taken from an address near to Auriol Park.

It “triggered” an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera before officers found it in north Coulsdon about 30 minutes later.

The suspects, two men aged 18 and 20 respectively, were arrested despite abandoning the Range Rover which was stolen using scanner technology.

Since then they have been released under police bail, which includes a condition on being banned from Epsom for the time being.

While officers currently believe there are other suspects involved, Surrey Police are asking drivers to think about where they leave their car keys.

Inspector Joe Eastbrook, borough commander for Epsom and Ewell, said: “Thanks to quick work from our officers, we were able to track down the stolen car and arrest two suspects.

“Keyless car technology has its pitfalls and I’m asking the public to take some simple steps to prevent crime like this being repeated.

“Ensure your vehicle is parked in a well-lit and secure area, while properly locked with all valuables removed and keep your car keys as far away from doors and windows as possible, preferably shut inside a metallic tin, for instance an old biscuit tin.

“The wireless signal from some keyless fobs can be turned off; consult the manual or contact the manufacturer to find out if this is possible.

“Steering locks also discourage criminals and you can even fit a tracking device to the vehicle which, if you were unfortunate enough to have your car stolen, you’d be able track it and assist with the recovery of the vehicle and police can potentially catch the offenders.”

Anyone with more information regarding the incident, or those who have dash cam or CCTV footage, is urged to contact Surrey Police on 101 (999 in an emergency).

You can also get in touch at: www.surrey.police.uk/TellUsMore.

Alternatively, you can also give information, 100 percent anonymously, to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or by using their online form: www.crimestoppers-uk.org.