Criminal gangs from Cardiff are travelling to the Monmouthshire area to burgle properties and steal prestige cars, says a local police Inspector.

Thieves have racked-up 24 incidents in Abergavenny and across Monmouthshire since the new year, in a spree targeting houses and high-value cars, apparently stolen to order.

Inspector Arwel Hicks (pictured), of Gwent Police, said police were committed to tackling travelling criminal gangs targeting the area.

“We are operating a number of overt and covert lines of inquiry, some of which I cannot say about, but I know that there are gangs from Cardiff travelling to the area to commit crimes.

While police cannot confirm that all the incidents are linked, there have been a number of incidents locally in a crime campaign stretching over a few months - in February thieves stole a watch and black Audi A7 from a property in Llanfoist and on the same weekend, two other Audis were taken in separate incidents, along with other valuables.

Thieves also hit two other properties in Monmouthshire.

Further burglaries and thefts this year have forced police to use covert tactics to stem the rise. Officers declined to confirm whether the similar incidents are linked.

Inspector Hicks said the majority of burglaries were being committed in the early evening, likely by criminal gangs with an element of organisation.

Speaking at a public meeting in Monmouth last week, the Inspector was joined by Monmouth MP David Davies - a former special police constable - and some of the victims of the spree.

Mr Davies said the incidents in Abergavenny, and across the region, meant locals ‘are all in this together’ and urged police to forge forensic evidence into arrests of the culprits.

“There has been a spate of incidents in Monmouthshire believed to involve several different gangs. There have been arrests made, but it looks like another group are at work who are yet to be apprehended,” said Mr Davies.

“This is extremely concerning for local people in the area.”

Inspector Hicks added that three people were currently on bail in relation to the incidents.

“This is my responsibility. I have been in the role for a month. My goal is to cut crime,” he added.

In recent weeks an attempt was also made to steal a safe from the village post office at Llanfoist.

Anyone with information regarding these incidents can contact police on 101.