Police have issued a warning following a spate of car thefts involving a well-known, but clearly successful scam.

The "€50 bill" scam has been employed by criminals for some time - but continues to 'pay' for thieves. They leave a €50 note underneath a vehicle's windscreen, and trust that the owner does not notice until they are in the vehicle and have started the engine.

Regularly, motorists get out of the car to remove the note, but leave the engine running - which his when the criminals strike. They jump in the car and drive off before the owner can react, leaving the victim holding the note, which is often fake.

[#ContreLesVols] Un petit billet de 50€ sur le pare-brise ? Une aubaine mais... Méfiance ! Il peut s'agir d'un piège. pic.twitter.com/1k3b5YMwcM

— Police nationale (@PoliceNationale) October 26, 2018

Police advise motorists to check their windscreens for flyers, tickets, or even €50 notes before they get in their vehicles. They also urge drivers never to leave the car unattended with its engine running.