POLICE in Darlington were last night investigating the theft of several airbags from cars parked in a nearby village.

Thieves struck overnight in Middleton St George and broke into eight cars. The main items stolen were airbags, six in total, from four cars.

Other items stolen included radio cassette players, a hold-all, a waterproof jacket and a hands-free mobile phone.

Detective Sergeant Alec Francis said: "Airbags can be worth between £250 and £600.

"They are valuable commodities to thieves as they can be sold to unofficial dealers and fitted into cars.

"This can be dangerous due to the perhaps lesser standard of fitting, and might not be as effective if there is an accident in the future."

Anyone with information should contact Darlington police on (01325) 467681