Car owners in some of the boroughs of London are at risk of having their cars stolen by an unauthorised towing company.

Cars that appear to be abandoned on the streets are being targeted in the scam, police warned.

A group who claim to be "registered housing association car removal contractors" are thought to be putting leaflets on windscreens of cars with no insurance or tax and those that have been declared to the DVLA as "off the road".

A police spokesman said the notices aimed to identify cars that are not regularly checked by owners.

He added: "If these leaflets have not been removed within a certain period, an unauthorised removal van will tow the car away."

The fake notices state leaflets claim to be a "24-hour notice of removal", and warn owners the car "will be removed/ stored by our car contractors, incurring costs to you".

It is thought many cars have been stolen over the last three months as part of the scam, and may this may be replicated throughout the UK.

The conmen have also gone onto people's driveways to attach the leaflets and remove the cars, police said.

Police warned residents to be extra vigilant and regularly check off-road vehicles.

They advise anyone who sees a leaflet to remove it immediately, take down the details and, where possible, take a digital photograph of it.

"If you do see a vehicle being removed, please record the registration numbers of both the removal vehicle and the one being towed and report the matter to police," the spokesman added.

Anyone with information about the scam can call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.