THIEVES escaped with three cars worth £69,000 after breaking into a house as a family slept.

Sotayo Sonuga woke to find his vehicles had vanished in the night. The 38-year-old, of Admiral’s Walk in Greenhithe, near Dartford, said: “It is horrible to think that someone has been poking around in your house while you were sleeping.

“This has really shocked us. How can you not know there is a stranger rifling through your belongings downstairs? It is just horrible.”

The cars were taken between midnight and 6am. They were a metallic navy blue Mercedes 200 worth £37,000, a metallic beige Toyota estate worth £24,000 and a navy blue Peugeot 206 worth £8,000.

Mr Sonuga said: “The thieves forced their way in through the front door and stole the keys to the cars, a hand-held computer, my wife’s handbag and a mobile phone.

“We have since recovered some of the items which were found dumped in the car park at McDonald’s, Greenhithe. I just hope the CCTV footage of the car park will reveal who took our cars.”

Louise Bloomfield, a spokesman for North Kent Police, said: “It looks as if the wooden door frame was levered off by the thieves who then found the keys to the cars and escaped in them.”

If you can help, call North Kent Police on 01322 283111 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Calls to Crimestoppers are free and confidential and you may be entitled to a reward.