By Saul Cooke-Black

A THIEF stole a BMW after breaking into a Stroud home and taking the owner's car keys.

The offender was carrying a 'tool' and wearing a black hooded top and gloves.

The family were inside the home in Mill Farm Drive when the incident happened yesterday evening at around 7.45pm, and it is understood that a child in the house disturbed the thief.

When the offender fled the scene in the BMW, the car crashed into a wall of the property's driveway, damaging its rear offside.

The car is a black BMW M3 convertible with a distinctive red leather interior.

Police are reminding householders to keep all windows and doors locked when left unattended and to not leave car keys on show. 

Nobody was threatened or injured during the incident.

Anyone who saw a man acting suspiciously in the area, or anyone who sees the vehicle, is asked to call police on 101 quoting incident 451 of 10th November.