A stolen car has been successfully recovered and reunited with its owner thanks to the vigilant work of two police community support officers in Brentwood.

PCSO Ben Turner and PCSO Kelly Field used Automatic Number Plate Technology to track the whereabouts of the Nissan Micra, which was reported stolen from Basildon on July 4.

It was tracked in Brentwood on July 9 and the PCSOs located the stolen car in Crown Street after carrying out an area search. It is believed the driver fled before they arrived.

While waiting for the vehicle to be seized, the officers spotted two males doing wheelies and driving in a reckless manner on quad bikes. Responding to community concerns about anti-social driving, the men were dealt with for driving without due care and attention.

PCSO Field said: “We were very pleased to have recovered the Micra and are working hard to bring those responsible to justice.

“We know how devastating the loss of a vehicle can be and there are a number of simple steps owners can take to increase the security of their vehicles, including fitting immobilisers and steering locks.

“It is fortunate we were on hand to deal with two males for anti-social driving.

“This issue has been raised as a priority by local residents and we are continuing to work closely with the community to help make the roads are a safer place.”