The owner spotted Scott Hunt, 45, rummaging through the car in the early hours of the morning from his window and locked the doors, The Times reports.

The deadlock system in BMW cars means that a car locked from outside using the fob can’t be opened from the inside, leaving Hunt to wait helplessly for police.

When officers arrived and search Hunt, they found a sat-nav stolen from another nearby vehicle and arrested him.

He admitted a charge of theft from a motor vehicle and attempted theft.