Premiership: Gang steal Liverpool star's car

Merseyside Police today warned motorists to beware after Liverpool soccer star John Arne Riise lost his luxury BMW to a ‘‘hook and cane’’ gang.

He had left the keys on a hall table and they were fished through the letterbox by sneak thieves, probably using a long thin rod with a hook at the end.

Riise, 20, was watching television at the time and had no idea his BMW X5 was missing until the following morning.

Police say gangs usually steal high performance and luxury vehicles to order before selling them on via organised crime networks.

However, the Norwegian player’s car was found in perfect condition on Monday, just three days after it was stolen from his home in the Woolton area of Liverpool.

A spokeswoman for Merseyside Police said: ‘‘This crime is preventable if people get into the habit of not leaving their car keys on display in their halls.’’