Is this the world's most brazen burglar? Thief digs out and de-ices car... while casually chatting to neighbours

Casually chatting to neighbours as he dug out and de-iced a smart car before driving off, everyone thought the well-dressed man worked for a repair centre.

As he disappeared down the street, unsuspecting residents had no idea that the polite gentleman was in fact a thief.

Stockbroker Mark McMullen, 36, returned home to find that people had watched as the man stole his new white Audi A4.

Brazen thief: The smartly-dressed man stole the Audi A4 from Park Crescent, Darlington, on Monday afternoon

The burglar had broken into his house via the back door and walked out with the keys and a laptop.



Mr McMullen's neighbours, some of whom are members of the neighbourhood watch scheme, thought the man was a garage worker taking the car away for repair.

The vehicle had been left in the driveway of the smart semi-detached home in Park Crescent, Darlington, County Durham, for two weeks because of the snow.

Married father Mark said: 'It is unbelievable. I can't understand the bare-faced cheek of some people.



'To break into my house, steal my keys, then boil the kettle and clean all the snow off my car while chatting to my neighbours, then to put the key into the ignition and away he goes - it beggars belief. It is ludicrous.



'I am just glad my wife and daughter weren't in the house at the time.

'I want everyone to be aware of what's happened to me so it doesn't happen to anyone else.'

The burglary happened shortly after mid-day on Monday.



'I hadn't driven my car since it started snowing, it had just been sitting on the drive for about two weeks.

'The thief was smartly dressed in a suit, so my neighbours just thought he was from the garage to pick it up.

'One of them is even involved in the local Neighbourhood Watch scheme.'

Police said today that the case was 'unusual' but said homeowners should be on their guard.



Police Constable Paul Dickenson said: 'We're not aware of anything similar to this happening in the area, but I would ask people to be vigilant.'