TWO car salesmen brothers got lucky to foil a thief driving about in one of their top vehicles.

Thieves stole a £24,000 used Mitsubishi Shogun from the forecourt of Racecourse Garage, St Lawrence Road, Chepstow, on Sunday night.

The next morning, as garage owner Neil Putterill met Chepstow police to report the crime, elder brother Philip spotted the car being driven some 45 miles away in Church Village, outside Cardiff.

Co-owner Philip, 50, immediately rang his brother, who told the officer sitting opposite him.

They told South Wales Police, who had a car just behind it. When the driver realised police had recognised the vehicle, he abandoned the Shogun and fled across nearby fields.

Philip said: "It's all an incredible coincidence. I was on my way to a dentist's appointment, stuck in traffic, when I saw a Shogun coming towards me.

"I saw the registration and thought, that's the car! There was even a police car six or seven cars behind it. I immediately phoned Neil as I knew he was with the police.

"The odds on this happening are unbelievable. I'm glad I saw them when I did. It's saved us a lot on insurance."

Police from Talbot Green station recovered the dark blue 4x4, which was undamaged. They are now testing it for fingerprints and clues before returning it to the crime-fighting brothers.

Neil, 47, of Beachley, Chepstow, said: "The thieves didn't keep it for very long. It's as if they broke in just to test-drive it. I'm glad they didn't get away with it.

"I thought we'd never see it again. I'm surprised they were driving it about with the same number-plates on.

"Two of them cut through a security barrier to get to the Shogun. I've got it all on CCTV but they are wearing hoods."

The car was used to steal a trailer from the Rhondda. A spokesman for Gwent Police said: "It's quite a bit of luck that the owner saw the vehicle the next day.

"We welcome help from the public in incidents like this. This was a premeditated theft and we ask members of the public who notice anything suspicious around garages to contact us immediately."

Anyone with any information should contact Gwent Police on 01633 244 999.