There were three thefts at Redbridge train stations on Wednesday afternoon alone and another attempt to steal from a van.

British Transport Police (BTP) revealed the extent of crime on the railways yesterday in an effort to warn passengers.

Thieves who tried to steal possessions from a van at Newbury Park Tube station, in Eastern Avenue, failed at 5.45pm but there were two other crimes at the station within hours.

At 3.30pm, possessions were reported stolen from a car parked at the station and another vehicle was broken into shortly before 6pm.

A bike was also stolen from the racks at Ilford train station, in Cranbrook Road, at around 4.10pm.

British Transport Police (BTP) tweeted incidents from stations across the country yesterday as part of an anti-theft campaign.

Officers are highlighting the importance of looking after belongings and valuables.

A series of videos have been made to highlight the most common “tricks of the trade” used by thieves and pickpockets, including snatching and diversion tactics.

Chief Constable Andy Trotter said: “Crime on the rail network is down for the ninth successive year, but theft of passenger property remains one of our top priorities.

“Twitter is a useful tool to highlight these thefts, but we’d remind anyone not to use Twitter to report crime.”

If you see a crime on a train or at a station, call BTP on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016.