BRAZEN thieves stole a £130,000 Range Rover from a driveway while its owner played in the back garden with her children.

Emma Tye, 37, has been unable to take her children to school herself after having her pride and joy stolen in Southend.

The theft occurred late in the afternoon in Tyrone Road and a police investigation is underway.

The car was locked at the time, with the keys indoors, so it is believed signals may have been used to enter the vehicle.

READ MORE >> 'Feels good to be back' - how passengers reacted to easyJet's flights from Southend

Mrs Tye said her family have been left devastated by the theft after saving up for the car for so long.

She said: “It is incredibly upsetting and devastating someone has targeted something that belongs to us and brazenly approached our house in daylight to take our car from our driveway, whilst we were playing with the children in the back garden.

“It is such a sad and scary world when you can’t feel safe to work hard and save up to own something special because of the chance of it being stolen by criminals.

“We feel violated.”

The Range Rover is an SVR type, a very distinctive dark grey with a carbon fibre hood.

Emma has three children, aged seven, five and four, and says it has been hard to find alternative transport to get them to school and nursery after their sole family car was taken.

She said: “We had three child seats in the car too, as well as school uniforms.

“We also have the upheaval of trying to make arrangements to get them to school, as well as the expense of alternative travel and admin of trying to get this resolved.

“The older two children are at school and the youngest is at nursery but it is too far for them to walk, so we now have to continue to make arrangements for lifts.

“People don’t realise the impact this has.”

Essex Police is asking anyone with information to contact detetcivtes.

A spokesman said: “We received reports of a theft of a motor vehicle from an address in Tyrone Road, Southend.

“It occurred at 5.40pm on Monday, May 16.

“Anyone with information should contact 101 citing reference 42/123608/22.”