TWO men have been arrested as part of an ongoing crackdown on car thefts and burglaries in East Dunbartonshire.

Chief Inspector Rob Hay said the men, aged 18 and 21, were being held in connection with three house break-ins and two vehicle thefts.

The arrests were part of Operation Orion, a clampdown in the East Dunbartonshire and Shettleston areas.

As revealed in weekend editions of the Evening Times, thieves have been "fishing" for car keys or opening unlocked doors to homes so they can steal cars to order.

A total of 154 cars, worth £1.3million, have already been taken and police say the thieves are using wire wire with magnets to get the keys.

A dedicated police hit squad has now been set up to combat the crimes.

The thieves are paid for the cars, which are then either sold for scrap or used for joyriding.