A CAR thief stole a new Vauxhall Corsa from a Huntingdon garage forecourt while a female accomplice distracted a receptionist.

She visited Murketts in Stukeley Road at around 1pm on Sunday (April 22) and asked the reception at the showroom about some leaflets while a man got into a red Corsa and drove away.

Officers are linking the incident with another on last Thursday (April 19), when a man and a young woman enquired after the Corsa.

They managed to take the key to the car and sawp it with a dummy. They drove off in a silver Mercedes coupe.

The man who visited on the Thursday was white, about 5’10” or 5’11”, slim with light brown thinning hair. He wore a grey jacket and with epailettes on the shoulders, blue jeans and brown shoes.

The woman with him was white, between 18 and 20, about 5’5”, chubby, with fair hair in a ponytail. She was wearing a black and white coat and dark trousers.

The woman who distracted the receptionist was blonde and wore a black coat, light blue jeans and was talking on a mobile phone.

Officers are not sure the people from the Thursday incident are the same as the theft on Sunday.

PC James Bowen said: “I would like to speak to anyone who saw the man and woman on the Thursday at around 3.30pm, who came and left in a silver Mercedes coupe, or the man and woman from the Sunday. They wore dark clothing and walked along Ermine Street and Stukeley Road from the direction of Dunelm at about 1pm on Sunday.

“I would be particularly interested to talk to a couple, who drove a red Vauxhall Astra, who were near the entrance of Murketts and may have seen the vehicle being stolen.”

INFORMATION: Anyone with information should contact PC Bowen on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.