The owner of a BMW worth £24k is devastated after his prized possession was stolen from his driveway while he slept.

Matt Machowiak had only owned the black 640d for seven months before the theft at 3.30am on Tuesday. It was one of two BMWs taken from John Ruskin Road on the same night. Both used keyless technology.

The transport manager who works in Oxford said: “It’s a horrible feeling of not being safe. I now need to find another way to go to work and maybe borrow a car.”

"I’m absolutely devastated, and a psychological scar is left for me and my partner Luiza."

There has been a rise in thefts of keyless cars nationwide and several have been recorded in Swindon in recent weeks, prompting police to issue a warning to owners.

Matt, 43, is planning to install better CCTV, more lights and a Faraday cage that can block electromagnetic signals, isolating the fob.

He has only lived in the area since November and said the theft made him think about moving out. "But I will stay here and help catch them via better CCTV and other means. We also have a few Tadpole Facebook groups.”

Similar incidents happened in North Swindon last month when two cars were taken from addresses in Faulkner Road and Eastlake.

Tadpole Garden Village was targeted by two people in April who were caught on camera trying to steal from cars.

And later that month, police received several reports of vehicle interference, criminal damage and theft from vehicles.

Sgt Penny Sprawson, from the Swindon Community Policing Team said: “We have seen this becoming more of an issue in Swindon in recent months.

“We have seen an increase in recent months of these type of offences and they have a significant impact on the victim due to the high value of the vehicle stolen and the vulnerability they feel as a result.

“We’d urge vehicle owners about being extra vigilant of locking their vehicle doors, not leaving valuables in the vehicles overnight and considering where they leave their keys.

“We’re increasing patrols in the area following these thefts but there are some basic steps owners can take to prevent their cars from being stolen.”

The crime prevention advice from the police includes keeping the vehicle locked, the windows shut and the keys secure, parking the vehicle in a locked garage where possible, not leaving any valuables such as wallets and phones, using an additional steering locked and many more.

Anyone with information relating to either of the thefts or who has CCTV or doorbell footage from the nights in question is asked to call Wiltshire Police on 101.