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| Border car theft gang is sought | Border car theft gang is sought |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Police on both sides of the Irish border are looking for a gang thought to be behind a spate of car thefts in the north west. | Police on both sides of the Irish border are looking for a gang thought to be behind a spate of car thefts in the north west. |
| In one incident last week, two BMWs were stolen from the home of a Londonderry businessman. | |
| He and his wife were asleep when the gang broke into their house and took the keys for the two cars. | He and his wife were asleep when the gang broke into their house and took the keys for the two cars. |
| Phelim O'Neil said it was clear that the thieves knew what they were looking for. | |
| "While we slept, these guys systematically went through my home until they found the keys I had hidden for our two cars," Mr O'Neil said. | "While we slept, these guys systematically went through my home until they found the keys I had hidden for our two cars," Mr O'Neil said. |
| "Those cars were taken, we didn't know about it, we weren't even aware that they (the thieves) were in the house. | "Those cars were taken, we didn't know about it, we weren't even aware that they (the thieves) were in the house. |
| "The first we knew about it was when the police almost arrived up in our bedroom." | "The first we knew about it was when the police almost arrived up in our bedroom." |
| Mr O'Neil said the burglars had removed a double-glazing unit to get into his house. | |
| He said he believed the raid must have been pre-planned and a neighbour had seen three men in a parked car near the house the day before the break-in. | |
| The businessman said similar incidents had taken place in the area. | |
| "The police did indicate they were very intent on getting as much fingerprinting as they could because they believe they could link it to three others which occurred in the days previous," he said. | |
| "I do know they got into one house with similar types of cars sitting at the door." |