A MAN had his top-of-the-range car stolen when a thief sped off in it while he emptied a bucket of dirty water nearby.

Harvey Tear, of Bliss Gate, Rock, was washing his silver BMW 528 SE - worth more than £20,000 and with registration number H7 EAR - at about 1pm last Thursday in his drive.

He was listening to the car radio and the keys were in the ignition when the thief jumped in.

He drove away towards Kidderminster on the A456.

Kidderminster Police spokesman Martyn Coss said there had been a spate of executive car thefts in the Kidderminster area in the last month.

He advised people to make their vehicles as "secure as they can".

Anyone with information can contact Kidderminster Police on 01562 820888.