LOCAL police are urging members of the public to be vigilant after a number of distraction thefts have taken place in recent weeks in the Abergavenny, Monmouth and Chepstow areas.

There have been at least four reported thefts in the last two weeks, which have occurred while shoppers are loading shopping into their car in the car parks of supermarkets.

Shoppers are approached by a man, who asks for directions by placing a map over the window of the car and in the Chepstow incident he asked for the best route to Gatwick Airport.

It is believed that another person then steals credit cards from inside the victim's car.

The offenders may have already been watching the victim typing in their pin numbers while in the shop.

The thefts have occurred in the car parks of Waitrose in Abergavenny, the Co-op in Monmouth and Tesco in Chepstow.

It is believed that the offender has an Eastern European accent.

Gwent Police's advice is for people to always be vigilant with their PIN, to protect it when they type it in, never write it down and never keep the number with their credit card.

If anybody has information about any suspicious activity or if they have any information about the incidents described they are asked to call Gwent Police on 101 and quote log number 172 18/6/13.