SOFTLY, softly thieves rolled motor mechanics student Luke Martin s car out of the drive and across two gardens and fled with his final year s college work. They managed to push the car across his front lawn and over a neighbour s garden before making the

SOFTLY, softly thieves rolled motor mechanics student Luke Martin's car out of the drive and across two gardens and fled with his final year's college work.

They managed to push the car across his front lawn and over a neighbour's garden before making their escape.

They struck in the early hours of Tuesday morning at 18-year-old Luke's home in Ely's Longchamps Drive, breaking into the car through the rear window.

Luke's old Ford Escort had a large, noisy exhaust and needed warming up before it could be driven.

Neither his neighbours, nor Luke, heard the thieves and his family believe they may have loaded the car on to a trailer.

Now Luke is waiting to hear from his tutor at Cambridge Regional College to see whether he can finish his two-year course this summer.

He had left all his final assignment work in the car and, although he has some of it backed up on computer, he is still missing vital pieces.

Luke used the £400 Escort, which was his first car, to travel to college three days a week and to the 1st Sawston Scout troop where he is a leader.

He had spent around £2,000 improving the car and used it to practice his car mechanic skills.

Only six months ago thieves smashed their way into it while it was parked outside college and made off with the stereo and speakers.

Luke had just replaced them at a cost of £400 and hidden them in a specially designed parcel shelf.

"I feel pretty bad about it," said Luke. "I spent a lot of money fixing everything on that car.

"My sister discovered it missing when she got up for work. It was parked behind her car on the drive.

"They must have broken the steering lock to steal it and we found tyre marks across the grass."

Luke's parents have been touring the area in the hope that the car was stolen by joyriders who might have dumped it.

Now they are hoping it will be found abandoned in the area and hopefully the coursework can be retrieved.