A graveyard in East Finchley has become a hot spot for "audacious thieves" who target visiting mourners.

Thieves are breaking into parked cars at St Pancras and Islington Cemetery, in High Road, and making off with valuables left inside.

A police spokesman said there had been six daylight thefts in the last month, often while the driver has been tending a relative's grave.

"An audacious thief or thieves have taken advantage of people coming to visit loved ones' graves by targeting insecure cars and stealing handbags that have often been left on the passenger seats," he said.

"Even if you are going to be next to your car, it only takes a thief a second to take a bag, purse or a mobile phone from your car if the door is unlocked."

He warned drivers to lock car doors and hold on to personal possessions.

Islington Council, which runs the 198-acre cemetery, has taken steps to make the area safer, including installing CCTV and alarms, operating police patrols, and allowing just one access point into the area.

Councillor Greg Foxsmith, Islington Council's executive member for environment, said: "Like most public places, we do display signs that alert people to staying safe, with help from Barnet police.

"I visited the cemetery myself last week, and was impressed with the vigilance of the staff, and I hope that incidents like this will be an absolute exception."

Police described one suspect believed to be involved in the crimes as white, about 20-years-old, around 5ft 11in tall with cropped strawberry-blonde hair.

Anyone with information on the thefts can contact police on 0208 200 1212 quoting crime reference 2410924/08.

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