A stolen car was dumped at a petrol station within ten minutes of being taken.

Thieves broke into a house in Birch Green, Wickford at about 1.30am yesterday.

They entered the property through the front door, taking two sets of car keys from a key pot near to the front door.

A Citroen DS 3 was driven away from the home.

The owner of the house said the Citroen belonged to her daughter.

The keys to a van, belonging to her partner were also stolen.

In a post on social media, the unnamed victim, said: “We got broken into this morning, around 1.30am.

“They stole my daughter’s car, a Citroen and my partner’s van keys.

“Ironically in the same key pot was my keys for my Audi A5 convertible.

“They got in through the front door.

“We saw two cars at different times come round and then drive off, we are sure they were coming back for the van.”

Essex Police rushed to the scene of the incident after the vehicle was stolen.

On the way there they found the black Citroen with a red roof had been dumped at the BP garage in Cranfield Park Road.

SC Dan O’Connell of the Essex Police dog unit, who found the vehicle said the car had been left at the petrol station, just ten minutes after the report of the theft had been received.

The police southern roads policing unit said the vehicle was found at 1.45am, just a five minute drive from Birch Green where it was stolen.

A spokesman for the team, tweeted: “Whilst you are sleeping we are hunting burglars and car thieves.

“A vehicle was stolen at 1.34am by means of burglary, found by SC O’Connell at 1.44am.”

The vehicle was recovered by police and returned to the victim that night.

There has not been confirmation as to whether the van keys are still missing or if they were recovered by police on Thursday.

Call 101 with any information.